Preacher Unknown - Episcopal Service of Missionary Witness (November 1, 1962) / Duke Chapel Recordings / Duke Digital Repository

(liturgical music)

0:04

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You shall receive power after that

14:29

the holy ghost has come upon you

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and you shall be witnesses on to me,

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both in Jerusalem and then all Judea

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and in Sumeria and onto the outermost part of the earth.

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Oh Lord open thou our lips,

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(indistinct)

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Our redeemer, the Father,

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unto the son, unto the Holy Mouth,

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(indistinct)

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Here begineth at the 43rd chapter

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of the book of the prophet, Isaiah.

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But now thus says the Lord,

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he who created you oh Jacob,

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he who formed you oh, Israel.

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Fear not for I have redeemed you.

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I have called you by name.

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You are mine.

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When you pass through the waters,

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I will be with you

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and through the rivers

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they shall not overwhelm you.

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When you walk forth through fire, you shall not be burned

15:48

and the flames shall not consume you

15:53

for, I am the Lord, your God,

15:57

the holy one of Israel, your savior,

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I give Egypt as your ransom,

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Ethiopia and Sheba in exchange for you

16:07

because you are precious in my eyes

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and honored and I love you.

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I give men in return for you,

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peoples in exchange for your life.

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Fear not for I am with you.

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I will bring your offspring from the east

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and from the west I will gather you.

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I will say to the north, give up,

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unto the south, do not withhold.

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Bring my sons from afar and my daughters

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from the ends of the earth,

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every one who is called by my name,

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whom I created for my glory,

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whom I formed and made.

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Bring forth the people who are blind

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yet have eyes,

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who are deaf yet have hears,

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that all the nations gather together

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and let the people assemble

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who among them can declare this

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and show us the form of things.

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Let them bring their witnesses to justify them

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and let them hear and say, it is true.

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You are my witnesses, says the Lord,

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and my servant whom I have chosen

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that you may know and to believe me

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and understand that I am he.

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Before me no God was formed

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nor shall there be any after me.

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I am the lord,

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and besides me, there is no savior.

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I declared and saved and proclaimed

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when there was no strange God among you

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and you are my witnesses, says the Lord.

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Here endeth the first lesson

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(liturgical music)

18:10

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Here begineth the 10th chapter of the gospel

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according to St. Luke.

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After this, the Lord appointed 70 others

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and sent them on ahead of him,

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two by two, into every town and place

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where he himself was about to come.

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And he said to them,

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"The harvest is plentiful,

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"but the laborers are few.

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"Pray therefore, the Lord of the harvest

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"to send out laborers into his harvest.

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"Go your way.

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"Behold, I sent you out as lambs in the midst of wolves,

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"carry no purse, no bag,

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"no sandals,

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"and salute no one on the road.

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"Whatever house you enter,

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"first, say, peace be to this house

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"and if a son of peace is there,

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"your peace shall rest upon him

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"but if not, it shall return to you.

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"And remain in the same house,

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"eating and drinking what they provide

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"for the laborer deserves his wages.

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"Do not go from house to house.

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"Whenever you enter a town and they receive you,

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"eat what is set before you.

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"Heal the sick in it

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"and say to them,

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"the kingdom of God has come near to you."

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Here unto the second lesson.

22:40

(liturgical music)

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The Apostle's creed.

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I believe in God, the father almighty,

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creator of heaven and earth

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and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord

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who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

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born of the virgin Mary,

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suffered under Pontus Pilate,

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was crucified died and buried,

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he descended into hell,

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on the third day he rose again from the dead,

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he ascended into heaven

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and sat upon the right hand of God the Father, all mighty,

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from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

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I believe in the Holy Ghost,

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the Holy Catholic Church,

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the communion of saints,

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the forgiveness of sins,

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the resurrection of the body,

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and the life everlasting.

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Amen.

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The Lord be with you.

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(indistinct)

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Let us pray.

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Our father, who art in heaven,

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hallowed be thy name,

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thy kingdom come,

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thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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Give us this day, our daily bread

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and forgive us our trespasses

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as we forgive those who trespass against us

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and lead us not into temptation,

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but deliver us from evil

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for thine is the kingdom

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and the power and the glory

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forever and ever.

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Amen.

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Oh Lord, show thy mercy upon us.

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(indistinct)

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Oh, God make clean our hearts within us.

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(indistinct)

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All mighty God who has knit together thine elect

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in one communion and fellowship,

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in the mystical body of the thy son, Christ our Lord,

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grant us grace so to follow thy blessed saints

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and all virtuous and godly living,

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that we may come to those unspeakable joys

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which thou has prepared for those

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who unfaintedly love thee,

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through the same thy son,

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Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Amen.

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Oh God, from whom all holy desires,

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all good councils and all just works do proceed

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give unto thy servants that peace

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which the world cannot give,

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that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments.

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And also that by thee,

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we being defended from the fear of our enemies

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may pass our time and rest in quietness

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through the merits of Jesus Christ, our savior.

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Amen.

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Lighten our darkness we beseech thee oh Lord,

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and by thy great mercy defend us

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from all perils and dangers of this night

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for the love of thy only son, our savior, Jesus Christ.

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Amen.

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Oh God, the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ,

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our only savior, the prince of peace.

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Give us grace seriously to later heart

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the great dangers we are in

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by our unhappy divisions.

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Take away all hatred and prejudice

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and whatsoever else may hinder us

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from godly union and concord

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that as there is but,

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that there is

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but one body and one spirit,

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and one hope of our calling,

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one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

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one God and Father of us all

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so we may be all of one heart and a one soul,

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united in one holy bond of truth and peace,

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of faith and charity,

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and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee

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through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Amen.

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Oh God who has made of one blood, all nations of men

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for to dwell on the face of the whole earth

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and did send thy blessed son

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to preach peace to them that are far off

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and to them that are not.

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Grant that all men, everywhere,

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may seek after thee and find thee.

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Bring the nations into thy fold,

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pour out thy spirit upon all flesh

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and hasten thy kingdom

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through the same thy son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Amen.

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

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and the love of God

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and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost

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be with us all evermore.

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Amen.

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On behalf of the Durham Orange County Episcopal council,

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I welcome all of you

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to this great service of witness to our mission

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in Jesus Christ.

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In welcoming you,

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I particularly welcome those who

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in the front pews of this great chapel

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come representing lay man and lay women

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from all over the diocese.

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It is the leadership of people like this

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that will make us a great missionary church.

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I would like to announce that the offering at this service

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will go to the presiding Bishop's fund for world relief,

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with the request

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that it may be used among Cuban refugees

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in the diocese of South Florida.

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Finally, I would like to thank

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the university, the great university

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on whose campus we meet.

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Duke University, very graciously,

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let us use this great chapel.

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I would like to express this thanks

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to a man who here represents Duke University,

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and introduce him at the same time to you.

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The chaplain to Duke University,

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the Reverend Howard Wilkinson.

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Brothers and sisters in Christ,

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a few years ago,

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the late (indistinct) who was professor of preaching

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at Yale University Divinity School

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was invited to deliver the sermon

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in the chapel of the Naval Academy at Annapolis.

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As he rose to begin his sermon,

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he noticed that not an eye

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in the congregation

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was pointed in his direction,

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but everyone of the midshipmen

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was looking at something directly beneath the pulpit.

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And so Dr. (indistinct) leaned forward

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to see what it was

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that they were concentrating upon so wholeheartedly.

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And there, directly in front of the pulpit,

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was a bird dog.

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Well, he knew he didn't have a Chinaman's chance

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of getting their attention unless somehow

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he could get their minds off of the bird dog

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and so he said

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in a startled voice

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to these midshipmen of the Naval Academy,

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"Who let in this west pointer?"

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(laughter)

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Well, with apologies to Henry Stever and (indistinct),

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I tell this story

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to draw your attention

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to the question that has earlier been in your mind

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as the procession of the clergy came down the center isle,

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what is this non Episcopalian clergyman doing

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in our sacred precincts coming up the center aisle?

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Well, this west pointer are representing the Lord's army,

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I say on behalf of my Methodist brethren,

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has come here to welcome this gathering of the Lords Navy,

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I say for your welfare,

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to welcome you to the chapel of Duke University.

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Duke University, whom I officially represent tonight

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as chaplain to the university,

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is very delighted

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that you have chosen to use this sacred chapel

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as the place of your great insignificant rally this evening.

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This is not something

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which is invading Duke

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or something tacked on to the university,

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for from the very beginning of this institution,

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one of the twin aims of this university has been

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the fostering and the development

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and the cultivation of religion.

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The motto of this school

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is Eruditio et Religio.

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Education and religion.

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When the service has been concluded

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and you make your way toward the entrance,

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you will notice on the great jam,

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which is on either side of the great arch, two figures.

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One of these represents wisdom,

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the other represents piety

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and thus does the twin aim

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of the university stand out in the symbols.

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However, these symbols will be empty and meaningless

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unless we make them warm and alive.

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And it is by such gatherings as this tonight

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that we put content into the symbol

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and make it meaningful.

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The Episcopalians should feel very much at home at Duke.

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Among this great congregation tonight

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are a number of the members

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of the faculty of Duke University,

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who are not here as I am,

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representing another denomination,

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but are here because this is your meeting.

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Not only are a number

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of the members of the faculty Episcopalians,

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but Episcopalians are among

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the most distinguished faculty members of Duke University.

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And what I have just now said of the faculty members

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is also true of the student body.

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It has always been true

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that a great many of our most distinguished students,

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whether they're considered academically

35:54

or considered in their extracurricular activities,

35:56

we have numbered Episcopalians.

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Duke is proud of its members of the faculty

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who are members of your church.

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It is proud of its students

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who are members of your church.

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The university is delighted to have you here this evening

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and wishes for this gathering

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every success which God wants it to have.

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Thank you.

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Now it is my pleasure as

36:32

a clergyman from Chapel Hill

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in the diocese of North Carolina,

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to introduce to you

36:42

the bishop coadjutor of the diocese of North Carolina,

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a man who has brought new vigor

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to the missionary work of our church in this diocese.

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A man who, with unusual skill,

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manages to bind together,

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good humor and firmness

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as he leads us in our missionary work in this diocese,

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the right Reverend Thomas Augustus Fraser Jr.

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In the name of the diocese of North Carolina,

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it gives me a great deal of pleasure

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to welcome you to this service of witness.

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As Episcopalians, we believe that whenever we gather

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to worship our blessed Lord

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we are involved in missionary effort.

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But this particular service of witness was created

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and conceived and arranged

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by a group of people known as

37:52

the Durham Orange County Episcopal Council.

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The diocese is grateful to them

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for this witness and for inviting us to participate in it.

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Especially are we grateful to the clergy involved

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and to Mr.

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Clifford Liongue, P. Liongues,

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who read the second lesson this evening.

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I know that behind any service of witness of this kind,

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there are many, many people involved in arrangements

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and details from choir mothers

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to choir directors

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and mothers and fathers at home

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who had to prepare children

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to get them ready to come.

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And I am grateful to all of them

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and especially am I grateful to the clergy who sit here,

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many of whom have come

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a good number of miles this evening

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to be present with us.

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I pray God that he will bless those

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who have arranged this service

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and that he will bless our church in this diocese

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as we strive to witness with courage and with faith

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to the life and teachings of our Lord and his church.

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I would feel very remiss if I did not reiterate

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what Mr. Mead has said in expressing our gratitude

39:24

to the chaplain and to Duke University,

39:28

we have always been most graciously welcomed on this campus.

39:32

We appreciate deeply

39:37

the encouragement which they have given us,

39:40

the opportunities that they have provided for us

39:43

and their willingness to include them

39:47

in their religious life.

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We have several bishops with us this evening,

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whom I would like to introduce to you.

39:59

One Bishop that was to be present with us,

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the suffragan bishop of Colorado

40:07

was taken ill and was unable to come

40:09

and he said,

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"Please tell those good people of North Carolina,

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"that I will be praying for them."

40:16

We have two really native sons of North Carolina

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with us this evening,

40:24

the Right Reverend Bravid Harris,

40:26

Bishop of Liberia.

40:28

The Right Reverend George Henry,

40:31

Bishop of Western North Carolina.

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We are very happy to have them

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witnessing with us in this service.

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Our preacher this evening

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is a man whom many of us have known and respected

40:48

for many years.

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He is the Right Reverend Henry Irving Louttit.

40:53

There are many things which I could say

40:58

in a very sincere vein in listing his accomplishments,

41:00

but may I recommend him to you

41:07

as a strong leader in the house of bishops

41:09

of the Episcopal Church,

41:13

an aggressive evangelist

41:16

and a wise and respected father in God,

41:19

the Bishop of South Florida will preach for us

41:24

following the next hymn.

41:28

(liturgical music)

41:33

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May the words of my mouth

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and the meditation of my heart

44:40

be always acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord,

44:42

my strength and my Redeemer.

44:45

Amen.

44:48

Now, I say, first of all,

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how privileged I feel

44:58

to have a part in this service of missionary witness.

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I might say that I feel very much at home

45:05

because I too live in Orange county.

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It happened to be in a different state,

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but I have a tougher connection than that.

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I, one time, had the great privilege of supplying in Durham.

45:16

During World War Two,

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I was a patient in the Camp Burtner Hospital.

45:22

That was the first opportunity I ever had to attend

45:27

the services at this very beautiful chapel

45:29

and I'd never thought

45:33

that I would attain the position

45:35

that I might speak from this pulpit.

45:37

I would do as a rare privilege for me.

45:41

11th verse of the first chapter

45:44

of the book of the prophet Malachi.

45:46

From the rising of the sun,

45:49

even under the going dawn are the same,

45:51

my name shall be great among the Gentiles.

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And in every place incense shall be offered under my name

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and the pure offerings

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for my name shall be great among the heathen

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sayeth the Lord of hosts.

46:10

From our vantage point in history,

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this proclamation of the prophet Malachi

46:19

is clearly seen as setting forth one,

46:23

the meaning and purpose

46:30

of the history of the people of Israel

46:33

that God might be known

46:37

in all the world.

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Two,

46:44

the mission of the Christian Church

46:46

that all men everywhere

46:51

might pay him honor.

46:54

And three,

46:57

the expressed will of God.

46:59

The motivation

47:06

for all of his ceaseless,

47:08

creative,

47:11

redemptive,

47:13

sanctifying activity

47:15

in this world of men.

47:18

And yet when it first was uttered

47:24

five centuries before the time of Christ,

47:28

it seemed literally impossible

47:32

of fulfillment.

47:37

Addressed to the people of Israel,

47:41

it spoke of a God

47:45

known only unto them.

47:48

They had just returned from

47:53

exile in Babylon,

47:56

and were still under Persian dominance.

47:59

Why should

48:04

the stronger, victorious world outside

48:07

pay homage do their deity?

48:12

From a people enslaved in Egypt

48:17

to a subject province of the Roman empire,

48:21

the history of this helpless nation

48:25

was largely a succession

48:29

of defeats

48:32

as stronger nations

48:34

battled for the control of the crossroad

48:38

between Europe, Asia, and Africa,

48:42

where they dwelt.

48:47

Almost constantly assaulted by stronger power from without

48:50

they were in fact

48:55

victims of fatal weaknesses within.

48:59

Constantly,

49:04

they wavered in their loyalty to Jehovah.

49:06

Just as constantly

49:11

they forgot the highest standard

49:15

of his moral law

49:18

in both individual and social applications.

49:20

Finally, they

49:27

repudiated and crucified their messiah

49:29

when he came.

49:34

The one hope of their salvation.

49:36

But Gods will may not be thwarted.

49:43

Their very failure

49:51

to accept the gospel as a fulfillment

49:54

of the long promises of their history

49:58

and of their religion

50:03

led directly

50:05

to his proclamation,

50:08

to the heathen world

50:11

outside.

50:14

The glad promise of a world redeemed

50:21

seemed impossible

50:27

of fulfillment

50:30

through the Messiah when he came.

50:32

He came the savior, son of God,

50:37

not in power,

50:42

with angelic hosts surround him,

50:45

the conquering son of David

50:49

to rule the world.

50:53

He was born of Mary,

50:57

a helpless babe,

51:00

his throne a manger cradle,

51:03

his palace,

51:07

the stable of an inn at Bethlehem.

51:08

The story of the wise men from the east

51:13

who caught a vision of a star,

51:17

who journeyed far to worship

51:21

and to offer gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh,

51:25

told to symbolize the fulfillment of this prophecy,

51:31

seemed a burlesque, a travesty.

51:35

As they go home another way

51:40

to outwit Herod

51:43

who in his wrath slaughtered the innocent

51:46

that he born king of the Jews might be destroyed.

51:49

The hope raised in the hearts

51:56

of the less favored folk in Israel.

51:58

The simple ones who followed him,

52:03

that he might in truth

52:07

be the anointed one sent of God,

52:11

to save,

52:15

was crushed and shattered

52:18

when evil nailed him to the cross of Calvary.

52:22

But God's will may not be thwarted.

52:30

He raised him from the dead

52:38

that he might ascend to heaven.

52:42

To reign forever.

52:45

The mediator between fallen men in all his failure,

52:49

on the eternal God

52:55

who wills to save.

52:58

For Gods name

53:06

should be great among the Gentile heathen,

53:10

seemed a prophecy, impossible of fulfillment.

53:16

When the little handful of pathetic folk

53:21

stood on the ascension mount

53:25

to receive the promise and the command.

53:29

Yee shall receive power,

53:33

after that, the holy ghost has come upon you

53:37

and yee shall be witnesses unto me,

53:41

both in Jerusalem and all Judea

53:44

and in Samaria

53:48

and onto the outermost parts of the earth.

53:50

You see the fulfillment of that promise

53:55

rested on a tiny group of men,

54:00

whom he had chosen.

54:05

A group, which even them,

54:09

did not fully grasp the teaching.

54:12

Of these, one already had betrayed him.

54:16

The leader already had denied him

54:20

and all of them ran away

54:24

in the hour of his trial.

54:27

(indistinct)

54:31

the prestige and the power

54:33

of both state and church in Israel.

54:36

All that the future promised

54:42

was persecution

54:44

if not martyrdom.

54:47

The chief of the persecutors

54:51

saw,

54:55

converted,

54:57

gave new life

54:59

to the faltering movement.

55:01

That he journeyed to preach the gospel in Cyprus,

55:05

Asia Minor, Macedonia,

55:08

against hopeless odds.

55:12

Few of his co-religionists

55:16

could be converted,

55:19

while, to the pagan Greek and Roman world.

55:22

the whole movement was at one time ludicrous,

55:26

at another, illegal and dangerous

55:31

to be left on a court

55:35

or to be destroyed.

55:38

Before five centuries,

55:43

that helpless helpless movement

55:48

had become the religion

55:53

of the great mass of people

55:56

in the Roman empire.

56:00

The cross

56:05

was preached

56:07

from Ireland on the west

56:09

to India (indistinct)

56:11

on the East.

56:17

Then came the barbarian invasions.

56:21

The fall of Rome,

56:24

the collapse of civilization,

56:25

the beginning of the dark ages.

56:28

Could the church possibly survive?

56:32

God's will may not be thwarted.

56:37

Always,

56:42

there were men to offer themselves,

56:44

their very lives if necessary

56:48

to pierce the darkness and the cruelty of this world,

56:51

that the light might shine

56:57

and that love might reign.

57:00

But obviously time will not allow

57:07

a review of the full history of the church.

57:11

It's air been flow,

57:15

the tidy's time, rising higher,

57:19

the tale of a

57:24

complice theories of discouragement,

57:27

failures,

57:30

defeat,

57:32

more than offset always

57:34

by minor

57:38

and major victories.

57:40

The same theme is repeated all over

57:46

in our own particular

57:50

church.

57:54

It seemed absolutely impossible

58:00

that the church of England should ever find itself at home

58:05

upon these shores.

58:09

It was feared and hated

58:14

by the settlers in new England,

58:17

who came here to escape its influence

58:21

and its practices.

58:24

It was at the most,

58:28

but accepted in the central colonies,

58:30

were established in the crown colonies of the south.

58:34

It had no bishops to lead,

58:39

to defend the faith,

58:42

to ordain a native ministry.

58:44

Hence it was utterly dependent

58:49

on the missionary zeal

58:53

of clergy who dared to come out from England to pioneer

58:57

and on the missionary giving of the church back there,

59:02

which supported through its missionary societies,

59:07

this then

59:12

foreign and overseas field

59:14

of the church's work.

59:18

The very victory of the

59:22

colonies in the revolutionary war

59:25

seem to sound it's death now.

59:30

Scores of its most faithful servants,

59:35

both clerical and like,

59:40

have remained loyalist

59:44

and fled these shores

59:47

to Canada,

59:50

the West Indies

59:52

and back to England.

59:54

Showing of support

59:58

where it had been established

1:00:01

for in doubt

1:00:04

everywhere suspect

1:00:07

as an offshoot of the English church,

1:00:10

the very office of bishop hated

1:00:14

because of its relationship to the crown.

1:00:19

It seemed a hopeless task

1:00:23

to try to organize the Protestant Episcopal Church

1:00:27

of the United States of America

1:00:31

or to secure Epistolic succession

1:00:35

for it

1:00:39

through the consecration of bishops

1:00:41

to serve the dioceses

1:00:44

of the American church.

1:00:47

Can we not see God's hand

1:00:52

in the consecration of Samuel Seabury for Connecticut,

1:00:57

then White and Provoost for

1:01:01

Pennsylvania and New York.

1:01:04

Dare we deny God's will being done

1:01:07

in the raising up Bishop Provoost

1:01:11

in New York, Mead in Virginia,

1:01:15

Ravenscroft here in North Carolina,

1:01:16

Griswold in Eastern diocese,

1:01:20

(indistinct) a missionary Bishop for the West,

1:01:23

all done

1:01:30

in the first quarter of the last century,

1:01:32

which marked the awakening

1:01:35

of the Episcopal church and its

1:01:40

subsequent outreach

1:01:42

even unto today.

1:01:45

Which brings us to the seemingly impossible task at hand,

1:01:51

even from this brief

1:01:58

and over-simplified review of history,

1:02:02

no one possibly could think

1:02:06

that there seemed any possibility of fulfillment,

1:02:10

that the world

1:02:13

may really be one to him.

1:02:15

On every side, we hear these days,

1:02:20

prize of warning.

1:02:23

The language that we use,

1:02:27

the gospel language we are told

1:02:29

is no longer relevant

1:02:31

to our day in time.

1:02:34

It falls on ears that cannot even hear,

1:02:36

and consequently cannot heed.

1:02:40

Far too frequently, we hear the phrase

1:02:45

descriptive of our time as a

1:02:49

post Christian era.

1:02:51

I only have one criticism.

1:02:55

This seems to imply that there was a time

1:02:56

that was a Christian era

1:03:00

somewhere in the world.

1:03:03

That, I have never been able to find in the history books.

1:03:06

Always,

1:03:15

always and ever,

1:03:17

from the human point of view,

1:03:20

the mission of the church has been impossible.

1:03:25

Always we are outnumbered,

1:03:31

always we are weak and failing.

1:03:34

Well, it is our responsibility

1:03:38

as a church,

1:03:44

as Christian hope

1:03:47

to strive that

1:03:50

the prophecy

1:03:53

we are using as a text

1:03:55

may be increasingly fulfilled.

1:03:58

Preacher Unknown - Episcopal Service of Missionary Witness (November 1, 1962)

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