In 1917, as the American “Doughboys” were preparing to take their places on the battlefields of France and Belgium, the New York Bible Society asked Theodore Roosevelt to pen a brief message to go with the New Testaments that were to be given to the soldiers.  Roosevelt demonstrated his superb character by writing the following:

The teachings of the New Testament are foreshadowed in Micah’s verse: “What more doth the Lord require of thee than to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Do justice; and therefore fight valiantly against … these nations [that] in this crisis stand for the name of Moloch and Beelzebub on this earth.

Love mercy; treat prisoners well; succor the wounded; treat every woman as if she were your sister; care for the little children; and be tender with the old and helpless.

Walk humbly; you will do so if you study the life and teachings of the Savior.  May the God of justice and mercy have you in His keeping.

The most perfect machinery of government will not keep us as a nation from destruction if there is not within us a soul.  No abounding material prosperity shall avail us if our spiritual sense atrophy.  The foes of our own household shall prevail against us unless there be in our people an inner life which finds its outward expression in a morality not very widely different from that preached by the seers and prophets of Judea when the grandeur that was Greece and the glory that was Rome still lay in the future.

The late President Roosevelt was correct in his assessment. A nation’s survival is intricately connected with the state of its soul, with the condition of its spirituality.  Without the compass of an ethical foundation, a society quickly dissolves into chaos and anarchy.  The truth of this can be read in a thousand history books:  great nations have risen to peaks of supremacy and then have fallen into corrupt chaos because they lost their ethical footing.  This fact exposes the final weakness of the concept that it is men who know best how to direct the affairs of their lives.

This past Wednesday night, April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City, a horrible act of carnage was wreaked upon innocents because, it would seem, at least one sadly deluded individual decided to play “god.”  This extreme act has grasped our attention so demandingly that we will be haunted by its images for a long time.  Let it be so!  For not only must we not forget the horror of it, nor the heroics of rescuers, we must also not forget our sense of outrage at such depravity.  We need that sense.  We need its motivation.  For we need to be propelled toward the practice of the righteousness that exalts a nation.  We need to be driven back to our dependence on God.  The morality preached by the seers and prophets of old – as referred to by Mr. Roosevelt – had one absolute standard:  God.  Will the foes of our own household prevail against us?  No, if there is within us, as a people, an inner life formed by God.  If, however, we continue to express a morality, which at best regards God as only relevant when we want Him to be relevant, and at worst, as irrelevant, then our society will continue to decay from the inside out.  And we will see more innocents perish.

Yes, we need that sense of outrage that such a crime was committed.  Not because we want to harbor bitterness, not because we desire to gain revenge, not because we seek to promote despair, but rather that we might be energized toward being engaged in every truly righteous effort to encourage our neighbors to live in accord with the holy ordinances of God.  Let us take to heart the words which God gave to Micah, for in them the prophet has revealed that the security of men and nations depends upon faithful adherence to three principles.  [Micah 6:8]

• Frank J Daniels, pulpit minister & teacher

To our beloved partners, Here is our newsletter with our comings and goings, as far as Covid-19 allows. Keep us in prayer please, and when you can come see us.

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Dear Friends and fellow workers,

We pray that this finds you well, and staying safe.  From what we can catch of US news, you are being hammered with Covid, and we pray for you all daily.  We are well, and restrictions here are easing somewhat.  We are now allowed to drive further than 5 miles from home, and some businesses are reopening.  Masks are required in any situation indoors, and we still are not able to meet as a church family.  We are really longing for that day to come.  We are able to meet with church family in homes in small groups, as long as we still practice  social distancing.  If we gather outside,we could be with upto 15 people, but that still limits which families could get together. We have four families with four children each!  We were able to spend the 4th of July with two families from our congregation, but had to remain outdoors.  It was a rather cloudy, cold day, and we spent our time wrapped in blankets, but it was worth every minute!

We have been able to welcome several couples into our home, which has been amazing, and we even had a 4-hour lunch out on one of the lochs last week with a couple from Edinburgh.  We were able to book a table at a lochside restaurant, and enjoyed the catching  up and sharing with these dear people.

We are still meeting online three times a week for study, communion, and fellowship.  Technology has really been a blessing in this way.

Our big news is a result of many months of prayer.  Since Judy was so very ill in December, combined with the lockdown, we realized that we are very isolated out here on the farm.  While we have enjoyed our time here, we felt we really needed to get back into Falkirk, and asked God to guide us in our search for a home that would serve both us and the church family.  With Judy’s mobility issues, the home needs to be on ground level, and we really need space for midweek meetings, and fellowship gatherings.  We also prayed that God would either make our way clear or close the path if it wasn’t His will.  We started looking online for what is known as a bungalow here, preferably three bedrooms and two baths, at an affordable rental.  Bungalows are rarely available, so we were ready for a long search.  We did find a really suitable bungalow, less than 5 miles from the community centre where our small congregation gathers, and there is one family less than a mile from the house.  There was to be one day of viewing, with 20 minute slots offered.  We were the 7th couple to view the property that day, and were told that the list was extensive.  We really felt this could be a long-term home for us, and very conducive for the church family.  The lounge would hold our midweek class with ease, and off street parking for at least 4 cars was part of the property.  If you’ve ever been to Scotland, you would appreciate this factor alone, as usually, in town, you’re blessed if you have one parking space.  We threw our hat in the ring, and were told that we would be notified if the owners chose us. We were chosen and felt very much at peace.  We passed the reference checks, and have been told that we can give notice to our current landlord. We have our moving dates–24-25 August– and we pick up keys next Monday.  The landlady does not want us to sign a lease until things she wants fixed have been done to her satisfaction.

Being back in Falkirk will be so good for many reasons.  Financially, we will save diesel and car maintenance.   There’s the time factor, too.  Not as much time traveling means more time for serving.  There is a bus stop right outside the gate of the new home, and we both have senior bus passes that give us free travel.

The church family, while they have all loved coming to the farm, can now drop in more often.  One young lady has already staked claim to the guest room for time outs.  There is a “chippy” ( a fish & chip shop) just across and down the street which is ranked in the top 5 in Scotland.  There is a no-maintenance garden, which will help Ken with the healing of his tendonitis.  An added bonus for Ken is there is an abundance of walking trails very close, which will help with controlling his sugar levels.   All in all, it will be a good move, but we face the fact we do have to move again to get this.  Ken is hauling down boxes from the attic, and we are starting the process, yet again.

Our new address will be

11 North Main Street,

Carronshore, Falkirk

FK2 8HW, Scotland.

Please pray for us, that we can be strong through this, and make this new home a blessing to all who come to us.  We were blessed to be a part of President Trump’s stimulus checks, and will use those funds to get the furniture and appliances moved for us.  Blessings come in many forms, don’t they!

Stay safe, everyone, and come see us!  We will have a guest room, with a real bed, ready for you.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.” 

[Hebrews 12:22-24]

The writer describes what it means to belong to the Christian community – there is a part of it not seen with the created eye.  Yet, while not seen, it is nevertheless real.  This is what it means to be in the assembly.  For when the saints assemble for worship, the fellowship in which they participate is larger than those who appear to be present and richer in spirit than what may seem to be.  The question, “With whom are you meeting when you gather together for worship?” is answered. 

In the context of the above reference, part of the answer is given by casting back to the experience of Israel at Mt. Sinai.  That experience was marked by prohibition and exclusion.  The people could not touch even the mountain!  Only Moses could go into the presence of God.  Even he trembled!  And the prevailing atmosphere of the experience was that of awesome and terrible power – there was tempest, fire, blackness, and the voice of thunder.  The people had to keep their distance and tremble in forsakenness.  But this is not true today.  For all that, having served its purpose, is past.  [Hebrews 12:18-21] 

For in this age, in the assembly of the saints, the Christian has fellowship, not only with his brethren, but also with the heavenly hosts.  The acts of worship in which the Christian engages are done in the presence of “the judge of all.”  This is not the old system of rigid exclusion where the limit was one man only.  This is the new system of inclusion where all who are sinners may come joyfully into His presence.  And, there, to join in worship “angels in joyful assembly” and “just men made perfect” and “the church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven.” 

This is the richness of Christian fellowship in worship.  This is the truth about worshipping God in spirit and truth.  The assembly is innumerable, even when the number gathered in any place on earth is small. 

And note the emphasis.  It is not “you will come.”  It is “you have come.”  The experience of worshiping with the heavenly hosts is not limited to the future in the world beyond the grave.  It is now.  This is what actually happens when you gather with your brethren to worship.  Thus, worship is not a mundane activity, for it is participation with the whole company of heaven.

• Frank J Daniels, pulpit minister & teacher