Octaman's Octablog: ONLY 100% AMERICANISM FAVORED BY GOD

Washington, Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln turn in their graves!

from the May 1923 Herald of the Epiphany by Paul S.L. Johnson

Do you know that America as represented by Asa types, apart from the government in Israel before the Israelitish monarchy, the noblest, most righteous, most beneficent, and most glorious government of the oppressed, a helper of the helpless, and a cornucopia to the industrious, and His favoring her with the headquarters and as the main field of activity for the greatest religious work ever carried on in this earth since the days of Christ?—Is. 18: 1-7.

Do you know that America as a real democracy, true to its principles—Antitypical Jehoshaphat—went into the World War to help the Allies, not as an ally, but as an associate, and to make the World safe for Democracy, humanly speaking, with clean hands and unselfish motives, which she maintained until about the end of the War; and that it was due to these facts that victory—snatched out of defeat—came to the Allies, who for their wickedness, would certainly have been defeated, and who would have been entirely disregarded by God and His Messenger, Antitypical Elisha, except for God's favor upon America—Antitypical Jehoshaphat?—2 Kings 3: 10-27.

Do you know that America in some of her policies has of late years measurably and increasingly abandoned the practice of some of those principles of human liberty in harmony with the law and of human equality before the law, with her consequent policy of isolation from Europe's peculiar affairs, policies and spirit—principles and practices that characterized the first hundred years of America's policies following the promulgation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of America—two documents that easily rank first among all statements of human wisdom on governmental affairs?

Do you know that additionally America has measurably and increasingly abandoned the practice, especially toward Europe, of those principles that moved her to enter the World War, i.e., to make the World safe for Democracy and to deal with Europe from a helpful and unselfish standpoint?

Do you know that it is evident that some present American policies—contrary to historic Americanism—have become Europeanized...?

Do you know that such acts and claims were enough to make Washington, Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln turn in their graves, if this were possible?

THIS IS THE MANNA FOR MAY 27

In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves-Phil. 2: 3.

Paul exhorts that all shall cultivate the grace of humility, and that in every affair each shall take heed that "nothing be done through strife or vainglory," that self-laudation and strivings for pre-eminence be thoroughly put away as the greatest enemies to the Spirit of the Lord and the blessing of the Church. On the contrary, each should have that lowliness of mind which can see the good qualities of fellow-brethren and appreciate some of these qualities at least as superior to his own. All the talents, and all the abilities, need never be expected in any one person in any congregation. So, then, each may, if he be of lowly mind, see in others certain good qualities or graces superior to his own, and should delight to recognize these and to esteem their possessor accordingly-Z '97, 296 (R 2227).

By lowliness of mind we understand humility to be meant. Humility is a proper self-estimate, and a self-estimate to be proper for us must be lowly; because whether considering ourselves from the standpoint of our physical, mental, moral or religious qualities, we must judge ourselves as not amounting to much. Such a self-estimate naturally esteems others better than ourselves, because it looks upon their qualities with more appreciation than upon one's own qualities-P '26, 61.

Parallel passages: Rom. 12: 3, 10, 16; 1 Pet. 5: 5; Phil. 2: 5-11; Psa. 138: 6; Prov. 15: 33; 16: 19; 25: 6, 7; Isa.57: 15; Jer.45: 5; Mic.6: 8; Matt. 11: 29; 20: 26, 27; 23: 12; Luke 14: 10; John 13: 14-16.

Hymns: 198, 95, 23, 114, 74, 4, 145.
Poems of Dawn, 144: Judge Not by Outward Appearance.
Tower Reading: Z '16, 35 (R 5842).

JUDGE NOT BY OUTWARD APPEARANCE

JUDGE not; the workings of the brain
And of the heart thou canst not see;
What looks to thy dim eye a stain,
In God’s pure light may only be
A scar, brought from some well-won field,
Where thou wouldst only faint and yield.

The look, the air, that frets thy sight,
May be a token that below
The soul hath closed in deadly fight
With some internal, fiery foe,
Whose glance would scorch thy smiling grace,
And cast thee, shuddering, on thy face.

The fall thou darest to despise;
May be the angel’s slackened hand
Hath suffered it that he may rise
And take a firmer, truer stand;
Or, trusting less to earthly things,
May henceforth learn to use his wings.

And judge none lost; but wait and see,
With hopeful pity, not disdain;
The depth of the abyss may be
The measure of the height of pain
And love and glory that may raise
This soul to God in after days.

Joseph Israel

1977-2018

Dear friends,

In my life as a reggae musician I had the honor and blessing of meeting Joseph Israel, who was a fellow reggae band leader, singer-songwriter who like me is an american-born white kid who comes from a Bible student background and works to put that into the music. We have the same vibe he and I, of singing about the King and the kingdom even though he came from another side of the doctrinal tracks in some areas, but both of us dreadlocked reggae singing Bible students? That was too amazing, so we connected in Seattle at one of his shows and I got to hang out with him and his family and his band for a minute there. We'd talked on the phone, it was surreal hearing him singing my own songs back to me from across country. He had heard of me and knew my music and was just as excited about it as I was about his work also.

Anyway story goes I remember asking Joseph, who by the way was on a higher business level than I had reached with music, having recorded at Tuff Gong studios in Jamaica with some of the greats down there, it just sounded really professionally done and he had a lot of experience playing on stage with people like Ziggy Marley who I think basically discovered him.

So I asked him from the spiritual side of things about a concern that folks like him or like myself who are musicians but also Christians may have, since we are Bible students first - musicians second, I asked him about the danger that too much accolades or attention may like, go to your head too much, you know? I asked him how he deals with that. Anyway I remember him basically quoting the verse in today's Manna back to me, Phil 2:3, about esteeming others as better than himself and that was the way he was able to always be humble and true to his roots and never forget where he came from, which was Fayetville Arkansas by the way.

I'm so sorry to write that my friend died last year of cancer a young age and I continue to be very moved by his passing and all the more inspired by his work to do my own work which still involves reggae music and other kinds of performing, anything to promote the King and the kingdom and help people live better lives. That's what he was all about, giving hope and blessings and love to each and everyone we can reach.

It's my hope to contact his family sometime soon, offering condolences and I'll be asking permission to cover one of his songs. He has so many great ones, please check it out below. Joseph was a Hebrew scholar and he had many videos online about the scriptures and Hebrew language and also about natural health and healing and those kinds of things, beyond mere music. It's just so sadly ironic that he passed from cancer which is a thing that, if you live the way he prescribed, you should just never have to worry about getting it. He was so into staying healthy, but I don't really know the root cause.

In the song below you can hear that Joseph Israel believed in the return of the Ancient Worthies, just as I do. He spoke of that particular feature of God's plan passionately when I met with him. I miss his presence among us. He was a beautiful brother in the Lord, may we see each other in the Kingdom. Soon! Lord willing.

Yours in Truth,

Regan