The American Soul
The American Soul
It Is Well With My Soul, Even When America Isn't
Do your daily actions match what you claim are your priorities? In this thought-provoking episode, Jesse Cope challenges us to examine the gap between what we say matters and how we actually spend our time and energy.
The reality is stark—we can tell our children, spouses, or even God that they're our priority, but if we're not investing quality time with them while finding hours for social media, sports, or entertainment, our true values are revealed. As Jesse powerfully notes, "There comes a point at which everybody knows we don't really care."
Through a compelling exploration of 1 Corinthians 15, we discover the transformative hope of resurrection—both Christ's historical resurrection and our promised spiritual renewal. This chapter reminds us that Christian hope isn't just for eternity but provides meaning and purpose in our present struggles. Jesse highlights Paul's remarkable transformation from persecutor to apostle as evidence that no sin is beyond God's forgiveness through Christ.
The podcast draws fascinating parallels between America's founding struggles and our current national divisions, suggesting we face similar fundamental choices about liberty and national character. Through historical perspectives from Ezra Stiles and Mercy Otis Warren, alongside accounts from Fox's Book of Martyrs, Jesse illuminates the dangers when religious or political institutions claim infallibility and refuse correction.
Perhaps most compelling is the reminder that we serve as living representatives of everything we claim to value. As Jesse once told his Marines: "You may be the only Marine somebody ever meets, and whatever impression you make will become their opinion of the entire Marine Corps." Similarly, Christians may be "the only Bible some people ever read" through their daily actions and character.
The episode concludes with an inspiring call to spread the gospel as America's true hope for renewal. By living our faith authentically, supporting those ministering in challenging environments, and reclaiming education centered on timeless values, we can influence our culture far more effectively than through political means alone.
The American Soul Podcast
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Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are and whatever part of the day you're in. Sure do appreciate y'all joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and attention, a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. Hopefully it will give us all some extra tools for our toolbox and hopefully it will draw us all a little bit closer to God and Jesus Christ, both as individuals and as a nation, even if just a mite bit. For those of y'all who have been around for the last few years, sure to appreciate it, glad that you're here. For those of y'all who have been around for the last few years, sure to appreciate it. Glad that you're here. For those of y'all that are new to the podcast, thank you for joining us. Hope you like it, hope you get to listen to it with somebody else, talk about it a little bit and hope you come back. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others and tell others about it thank you so much, very grateful for that with others and tell others about it. Thank you so much, very grateful for that.
Speaker 1:And for those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast. Thank you Very, very grateful for your prayers. Definitely need those prayers and want them. So thank you, father. Thank you for today. Thank you for you, father, and your Son, jesus Christ, and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love and your mercy, your grace and your forgiveness of sins through the merit of your Son, jesus Christ. Thank you for the time to record this podcast. Thank you for the people that listen to it and hear it. Thank you that they come, father, and stay and listen. Be with them, be with their families, guide them, bless them, surround them with your angels, protect them from evil of any kind. Help us all, father, to do your will, to love you with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength, to love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us to care for the widow and the orphan, the poor and the needy with actions and deeds, not just words.
Speaker 1:Thank you for those men in our nation, here in America and the nations wherever people are listening around the world, who rule in fear of you, both in the state and in the pulpit. Help us to encourage them, support them, care for them and their wives and their children. Be with our military, our law enforcement, firefighters, ems. Protect them, keep them safe, bring them home safe. Be with their families. Be with those who have lost loved ones across the nation, anywhere.
Speaker 1:Father, we think particularly of those families down in Texas who lost children recently, but also the officers and firefighters. We've lost Anybody, father. We've lost distant Anybody. Father, help us to comfort them, to mourn with them and to bring whatever peace that we're able, leading them to you and your Son, jesus Christ. Please fill them with your peace and your comfort and your joy. And God, my words here. Father, please, in your Son's name, we pray Amen.
Speaker 1:Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to pray? Have you made time to read his word? Talk to him, listen to him, be still and quiet before him. I need to work on that part a lot. I say that often. But whatever part of that you need to work on, are you working on it? You know there's only so long we can go.
Speaker 1:Folks where we say something's a priority but we don't act like it before people realize that it's not really a priority. You know, if we're overweight, for example, and we say over and over and over again we really want to lose weight. We really want to do get healthier, but we continue to drink Cokes and eat Cheetos which I love, both and Oreos also love. There comes a point at which everybody knows we don't really care, we're not really that interested in being healthy, we're not really that interested in losing weight. Same is true with our faith. Same is true with our faith. Same is true with our spouse, our children. You know we can tell our kids all day long that we love them, but if we're not really spending time with them, talking to them, pouring into their lives, they know that we don't. They know that we don't.
Speaker 1:And our spouse? I was talking to an extremely close friend of mine recently and we were talking about that. You can only go so far as a spouse where your spouse is pouring into you and you say that you love them but you're not reciprocating that before your spouse knows that it's just simply not true. And then they have a decision to make on how to act based on that information. But almost guaranteed folks, we're not going to like their response Because they're going to figure out what they have to do in order to survive and that you know if we're not pouring back into them each day. That's probably going to look like something that we don't really like.
Speaker 1:We just take them for granted too much. We take them for granted. We watch hours of sports, scroll our phones for hours each day and play video games, get on our TV, on our computer, and then we claim that we don't have time to do whatever our spouse wants, whenever, wherever, however often eagerly. Everybody knows it's a lie. We know it's a lie. Our spouse knows it's our lie. Anybody that's paying attention to our marriage knows it's a lie. We have the time and energy. We just choose not to.
Speaker 1:So, before we move on to the Bible, there's a little story here. Actually, you know what. We'll come back to that. We'll go to our Bible first. I think I hope we are in 1 Corinthians 15.
Speaker 1:The fact of Christ's resurrection. Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and which also you stand by, which also you are saved if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you, as of the first importance, what I also received that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cep, third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve After that. He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also, for I am the least of the apostles and not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me did not prove vain, but I labored even more than all of them. Vain, but I labored even more than all of them. Yet not I, but the grace of God within me, whether then it was I or they. So we preach and so you believe, just real quick, before we move on, for I am the least of these right, not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. Let that be a comfort to you folks, if you are struggling with thinking that you're not worthy. You're not, I'm not. Nobody is nobody in all of history has been worthy to earn their way into salvation, no matter what any denomination tries to tell you. There's not one single person in all of history that could earn their way into God and eternal life in heaven without Jesus Christ, paul.
Speaker 1:Then Saul right, persecuted the church, killed Christians. He was there when Stephen was stoned, encouraging, cheering on supporting Outright murder. Folks turned in, men and women to be tortured, murdered, imprisoned. And yet God used him, called him and he responded Whatever it is that you've done, there is nothing that God cannot forgive you for through his son, jesus Christ cannot forgive you for through his son, jesus Christ, there is nothing that God won't forgive you for except outright rejection of God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Right. Just to clarify that, folks, the only unforgivable sin that I'm aware of from the Bible is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and you can talk to a priest or a pastor or a theologian and get a better definition of what that is. But in my simple mind, reading Scripture the way I've always seen that, is purposeful rejection of God and the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ and outside of that and that alone Right. And so that basically boils down to that. We get to choose. We have the free will to either choose God and Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit or not, and it's totally on us and that's all that's on us, which is the encouraging part.
Speaker 1:Now, if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how does some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain. Your faith also is vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise. If, in fact, the dead are not raised For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Speaker 1:If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. I don't know why, but I've always, as a result at least, really loved that verse. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied, and I guess I love it because it tells me that we can have hope in Christ, not only eternally but also in this life, and that we should. And at the end of the day, god has the eternal view and that's what he's concerned with is getting us to him, reconciling us to him through his son, jesus Christ. And that is extremely encouraging that, no matter how many sins I've committed, how dark they seem to me, even the darkest in the world folks, the people that we really consider truly evil, if in the end they truly they repented and they turned back to God and Jesus Christ, he would accept them, just like the prodigal son. Now I'm not. I am definitely.
Speaker 1:I've said on the podcast before I'm not saying that all people are equally good and bad in this life because they're not. That's illogical to the point of being laughable and Scripture doesn't back that up. Jesus Christ specifically says it'll be easier for some people on the day of judgment than others, but we all equally need Jesus Christ in order to get to God and eternal life and salvation. And this verse, for whatever reason, it's always been a comfort as an adult. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are, of all men most to be pitied. But we don't, folks. We have hope for eternal life through Jesus, christ, the Order of Resurrection.
Speaker 1:But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep. For since by man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive, but each in his own order Christ the firstfruits, after that those who are Christ's. At his coming. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and authority and power, for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death, for he has put all things in subjection under his feet.
Speaker 1:But when he says all things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is accepted. Who put all things in subjection to him? When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? Why are we also in danger? Every hour, I affirm brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus, our Lord, I die daily. If, from human motives, I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me If the dead are not raised? Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived.
Speaker 1:Bad company corrupts good morals. Become so, reminded, as you ought, and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. Two things here. Verse 33, bad company corrupts good morals. Folks, we can't listen to read, watch TV, watch whatever we want, listen to whatever we want, read whatever we want. Hang out with whoever we want and not expect their bad morals to rub off on us, or good morals if they're good people. Right Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Right Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. You need to surround yourself constantly, whatever the medium is, whether it's TV or Instagram, social media, facebook, twitter, x, whatever YouTube, books that you're reading, music that you're listening to folks it needs to be a positive influence. I'm guilty of this, just like anybody else. There's certain things that I like to listen to, certain movies that I like to watch, certain books that I like to read, and I know that I shouldn't be, and so I strive to do better at that, because that affects our character.
Speaker 1:Folks, everything we do, every input that we have, twists us a little bit more to be like Christ or a little bit more to be like the devil in the world. And then the second verse 34 here become sober minded, as you ought, and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God. I used to tell Marines this when they checked out, when I had the privilege of being a commanding officer for a headquarters battery that you don't. I don't expect you to walk around with a marine corps haircut and shaved face all the time. You know sand ramrod straight everywhere you are. But I do ask that you realize when you go out in the world you may be the only marine that anybody ever sees, the only experience they ever have with the marine corps, and whatever that experience is good or bad, that's going to be their opinion of the marine. The only Marine that anybody ever sees, the only experience they ever have with the Marine Corps, and whatever that experience is good or bad, that's going to be their opinion of the Marine Corps, whatever experience, and the same is true with us as Christians. Folks, we may be the only. You've heard it before, I'm sure, from other people. We may be the only Bible that people ever read, ever see. We may be the only example of a Christian that somebody ever sees. Are we setting an example that makes people want to be a Christian or not, or makes them scoff at the idea? And you really ought to use that for any institution.
Speaker 1:So my priorities, what I try and stick to each day God, spouse, family, country, court and in each of those I need to ask myself a question at the end of the day. If somebody saw me, saw my actions throughout the day and then realized that I claim to be a Christian, claim to be a Marine, claim to be an American, claim to be a husband, claim to be a father, right, all of those things, would that make them want to be one of those things? Or would that make them want to run the father right, All of those things? Would that make them want to be one of those things, or would that make them want to run the other direction, screaming Right? If they saw me, if a young man saw me, would he want to get married. Or would he look at me and go man, I definitely do not want what that guy had. If a young girl saw me, would she go I want to get married, that looks like a great institution. Or would she be like that's the worst thing I've ever seen? I don't ever want to get married.
Speaker 1:If somebody from somewhere else in the world saw me and said, man, that guy's an American, I want to be like that. Or they look at me and go man, those Americans. They're so cocky, they're so arrogant, they're so full of themselves. I don't want anything to do with that. Same thing with the Marines. Do they want to join the Marine Corps because they see me? Or do they want to run screaming the other direction? And the Marine Corps is the dumbest, stupidest box of bricks crayon eating group of individuals they've ever seen.
Speaker 1:And then, of course, the most important, jesus Christ. If somebody sees me day in and day out, do they want to be a Christian or do they not? And part of that, folks. I'm reminded that it's my wife and I were talking about facial expressions recently and we were out somewhere, I don't remember it. She said something and I made some facial expression which made her laugh, which I love that sound. So I would do it again if I could. But I don't know what the facial expression was, but she tried to show me and she was like you make this expression all the time. Our expressions tell the world a lot about us. What expression are we showing the world about being a christian? If you claim to follow christ? What expression are people getting from you day in and day out? It's a big deal, folks.
Speaker 1:But someone will say how are the dead raised and with what kind of body do they come? You fool, that which you sow does not come to life until it dies. And that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body, just as he wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men and another flesh of beasts and another flesh of birds and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars, for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body. It is raised an imperishable body. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in imperishable body. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written.
Speaker 1:The first man, adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthly. The second man is from heaven. As is the earthly, so also are those who are earthly. And as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we also will bear the image of the heavenly, the Mystery of the Resurrection.
Speaker 1:Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable and the mortal must put on immortality. But when the perishable will have put on the imperishable and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory, o death. Where is your victory, o death? Where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. Obviously, there's a ton in this whole chapter. It's pretty lengthy. A couple more things here. But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is true in our individual lives and this is true as a nation Folks. The only hope that we have as America, the only hope that we have as individuals, is Jesus Christ, god and Jesus Christ in the Bible. That's it.
Speaker 1:I saw somebody post recently talking about how great capitalism was right, and it really doesn't matter how great capitalism is or anything else. If we don't have God and Jesus Christ at the center of our country, none of it matters. The best policy doesn't matter, the best politicians don't matter. If we as a people are not a moral and religious people, as John Adams said, then we falter. Well, how do you do that? Well, jesus Christ, that's the only way to do it. You can't do it with Islam. You can't do it with Buddhism, hinduism, mother Nature-ism, atheism, socialism, communism, leftism. The only way to be a moral and religious and virtuous people are to follow the general principles of Jesus Christ. Not a particular denominational doctrine, but the general principles of Jesus Christ. Not a particular denominational doctrine, but the general principles of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Right Verse 58, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. I think one good way to look at this is how so many athletes do, and that is is dedication and discipline. Are we getting up each day right? Read the Bible right. Talk to God, listen to God. If you're married, get up each day. Make your spouse your priority, put them at the center of your life.
Speaker 1:Right, get up and do what you're supposed to do each day. Are you going to fail? Yeah, but those failures ought to be less and less the more you mature. You can't really mature too much and continue to fail constantly. You've got to have some sort of improvement, some sort of growth, right, right. And then the last thing that's so encouraging is going from the mortal and the perishable to the immortal and the imperishable. And just what a great hope that is Right. What a great hope that one day all of this weakness in this body, the sin, the illness, the injury, it's all going to go away and we are going to be given an imperishable body of power and all eternity we're going to be with God and Jesus Christ, whatever that looks like folks, and there's going to be love and laughter and joy and happiness, and just for eternity. That is a great hope. Cling to that, cling to Jesus Christ. All right, a couple things. We'll see how much time we have.
Speaker 1:There's a great story out of the Epic Times. Again, it's by Rebecca Day. If you don't take this newspaper, folks, I highly recommend it. Epic Times, it's a great newspaper. And this section, this last section they have, I think it's called Life and Times, life and Tradition. This particular one is about music and it's talking about the psalm it Is Well With my Soul, and it was written by Horatio Gates Spafford, who lived from 1828 to 1888. And I just want to give you the highlights, if you really want. It's a full-page article. It's a great article, again by Rebecca Day.
Speaker 1:But this gentleman and his wife made some investments and then the Chicago fire came and burned up most of those investments and they spent the next several years trying to recover and they were really down and really struggling and he decided, hey, let's go on a little trip, let's go on a vacation. So he sends his wife and four kids, I believe, and they get on the ship and they're going to go to Europe. Well, the ship sinks, all the children die, the wife's the only one left alive, and he comes over and they're together and of course they're suffering, but they're really leaning on their faith and he creates this song it Is Well With my Soul. Later on in life they have another child, I believe, and that child dies of scarlet fever and his wife has this quote and she said that they had been so sustained and so comforted by their faith, that God has sent peace in their hearts. And that was part of her quote and part of the writing by the author of this article, rebecca Day.
Speaker 1:But, folks, I couldn't help, when I was reading this article, thinking about some of the families that have lost loved ones recently children, maybe in Texas, police officers, firefighters that have been shot and killed recently, and just any of y'all out there, anybody you know that has suffered this loss. This life is hard, folks, but this is a pretty crazy hard story to lose your business, lose all your kids, have another kid and then lose that child too. And yet you're still looking at God going. It's well with my soul. How do you do that? How can you possibly survive that? It's a great article. It's an encouraging article. It's a comforting article, especially if you are going through some of those challenges right now, some of that pain and that heartache. And it's a great sermon. I mean a great psalm if you've never heard it it is well with my soul. And the title of this article, by the way, is On the Other Side of Grief, again by Rebecca Day. This is her last sentence. Amid unthinkable tragedies, this man gave meaning to his suffering and created a healing song for all to receive its peaceful message. Pretty awesome, I think. Well, we got to do one at least.
Speaker 1:Medal of Honor. Let's see where we were. Yeah, philip Bazar, us Civil War, also known as Philip Bazin Ordinary Seaman, us Civil War Unit. Uss Santiago de Cuba, us Navy. January 15, 1865, fort Fisher, north Carolina. On board the USS Santiago de Cuba. During the assault of Fort Fisher on 15 January 1865, fort Fisher, north Carolina, on board the USS Santiago de Cuba. During the assault of Fort Fisher on 15 January 1865. As one of a boat crew detailed to one of the generals ashore, os Bazar bravely entered the fort in the assault and accompanied his party in carrying dispatches at the height of the battle. He was one of six men who entered the fort in the assault from the fleet. One of six men who entered the fort in the assault from the fleet.
Speaker 1:New Bedford, bristol County, massachusetts. Not awarded posthumously. Born in Chile, died December 28, 1923. New York City, new York, united States, calvary Cemetery. Buried as Bazan, new York City, new York, united States. Born in Chile. Philip Bazaar Every time just cannot help thinking folks the mess, the fight that we're making over illegal immigrants that break in here criminally and that do so much destruction, and the mass immigrants who come here with zero intention of strengthening our nation and blatantly weaken it.
Speaker 1:And then you read about immigrants like this that gave risk so much for our nation. It's got to make you a little sick to your stomach. We're going to go back into our sermon for just a little bit, pick up where we left off. Another thing by Ezra Stiles, here right, this is our political sermon. Another thing tending to the public welfare is removing causes of political animosities and civil dissension, promoting harmony and strengthening the union among the several parts of this extended community.
Speaker 1:In the memorable Bellum Social among the Romans, 300,000 of Roman blood fought 700,000 brethren of the Italian blood After a loss of 60,000 in disputing a trifling point of national honor. They pacificated the whole by an amnesty and giving the city to the Italians to the Italians. We may find it a wise policy a few years hence, under certain exceptions, to settle an amnesty and circulate a brotherly affection among all the inhabitants of this glorious republic. We should live henceforward in amity as brothers inspired with and cultivating a certain national benevolence, unitedly glorying in the name of a Columbian or American and in the distinguished honor and aggrandizement of our country, like that ancient national affection which we once had for the parent state while we gloried in being a part of the British Empire and when our attachment and fidelity grew to an unexampled vigor and strength. This appeared in the tender distress we felt at the first thoughts of the dissolution of this ancient friendship. We once thought Britain our friend and gloried in her protection.
Speaker 1:But some demon whispered folly into the present reign and Britain forced upon America the tremendous alternative of the loss of liberty or the last appeal, either of which instantly alienated and dissolved our affection. It was impossible to hesitate. And the affection is dissolved never, never more to be recovered Like that between Syracuse and Athens. It is lost forever. A political earthquake through the continent hath shook off America from Great Britain. Oh, how painful and distressing the separation and dismemberment. Witness all ye patriotic hearts, all ye lovers of your country, once lovers of Great Britain. Witness the tender sensations and the heartfelt violence, the reluctant distress and sorrow with which ye were penetrated when, spurned from a parent's love, ye felt the conviction of the dire necessity of an everlasting parting to meet no more, never to be united again.
Speaker 1:So it's hard to read this for me at least folks and not see just an absolute similarity and events that we have going on today and today. That that heartfelt, that heart-rending sensation is the fact that so many of our citizens in America insist on following the absolute evil of leftism, socialism, communism or Islam, which are diametrically opposed to liberty and America and her founding values. You can't have the two together. They just, they won't work, they don't mesh. And the choice again is the same choice that Mr Stiles says here loss of liberty or the last appeal. That's the tremendous alternative, both of which will alienate and dissolve that affection to a certain degree. There's some similarities between our civil war here, a lot in the sense that was a civil war too, but our civil war between the North and the South, between the Union and the Confederates that demanded, on slavery, the right to enslave people. Today you can make that argument very easily about abortion. We have citizens that demand the right to murder children. I mean it's mind-boggling to even say that sentence. It's just, it's astounding. But we're going down this path, the same path, folks, and the choice is loss of liberty or the last appeal. Those are the choices that we're left with, barring a miracle by God.
Speaker 1:Almighty O England, how did I once love thee, how did I once glory in thee, how did I once boast of springing from thy bowels, though at four descendants ago and the nineteenth from Sir Adam of Napton, in the rapturous anticipation of thine enlargement and reflourishing in this western world? How have I been wont to glory in the future honor of having thee for the head of the Britannico-American empire for many ages, till the millennium, when thy great national glory should have been advanced in then becoming a member of the universal empire of the Prince of Peace and if perchance, in some future period, danger should have origin to thee from the European states. How have I flown on the wings of prophecy, with the numerous hearty hosts of thine American sons, inheriting thine ancient principles of liberty and valor, to rescue and re-enthrone the hoary, venerable head of the most glorious empire on earth. But now, farewell, a long farewell to all this greatness. And yet, even now, methinks, in such an exigency, I could leap the Atlantic, not into that bosom, but to rescue an aged parent from destruction and then return on the wings of triumph to this asylum of the world and rest in the bosom of liberty. Pretty prescient there, right, talking about going across the Atlantic to rescue England, as happened in World War I and World War II. Folks, whatever comes, something's got to give, something's got to change folks, and it's not going to be minor, it's not going to be trifling, it's going to be pretty drastic. All right, we'll move on Back into Fox's Book of the Martyrs and we're talking about Molius.
Speaker 1:This is for John Molius, born in Rome, and Cornelius, who was the monk that was sent to try and out-preach him. Cornelius, who was the monk that was sent to try and out-preach him. Cornelius wrote an account of his bad success to the Pope, who immediately sent an order to apprehend Mollius, who was seized upon accordingly and kept in close confinement. The bishop of Benonia sent him word that he must recant or be burnt, but he appealed to Rome and was removed thither. At Rome he begged to have a public trial, but that the Pope absolutely denied him and commanded him to give an account of his opinions in writing, which he did under the following heads Original sin, free will, the infallibility of the Church of Rome, the infallibility of the Pope, justification by faith, purgatory transubstantiation, mass, auricular confession, prayers for the dead, the host, prayers for saints going on pilgrimage, extreme unction, performing service in an unknown tongue, etc. Etc. All these he confirmed from Scripture authority. The Pope, upon this occasion for political reasons, spared him for the present but soon after had him apprehended and put to death, he being the first hanged and his body burnt to ashes AD 1553. And his body burnt to ashes, ad 1553.
Speaker 1:Again, folks, if your denomination it doesn't matter whether it's Protestant, greek, orthodox, roman Catholic if your denomination is upset that people aren't following your denomination, it's got some major problems. If the problem is that you're not following Scripture, that's part of the job of the church, but that's not the case that we see here time and time and time again. The problem is that people refused to bow to the Roman Catholic Church. Roman Catholic Church. The year after Francis Gamba, a Lombard of the Protestant persuasion, was apprehended and condemned to death by the Senate of Milan. At the place of execution, a monk presented a cross to him, to whom he said my mind is so full of the real merits and goodness of Christ that I want not a piece of senseless stick to put me in mind of him. For this expression. His tongue was bored through and he was afterwards burnt, ad 1555.
Speaker 1:Algarius, a student in the University of Pauden and a man of great learning, having embraced the Reformed religion, did all he could to convert others. For these proceedings, he was accused of heresy to the Pope and, being apprehended, was committed to the prison at Venice. The Pope, being informed of Algarius's great learning and surprising natural abilities, thought it would be of infinite service to the Church of Rome if he could induce him to forsake the Protestant cause. He therefore sent for him to Rome and tried, by the most profane promises, to win him to his purpose, but, finding his endeavors ineffectual, he ordered him to be burnt, which sentence was executed accordingly. Ad 1559, john Aloysius, being sent from Geneva to preach in Calabria, was there apprehended as a Protestant, carried to Rome and burnt by order of the Pope, and James, for the same reason, was burnt at Messina.
Speaker 1:You can't listen or read this stuff, folks, and not be appalled at a place calling itself a church of pretending to follow christ, burning alive people because they refuse to kneel to their particular denomination. And then this is the kicker this is what makes this different is when the denomination claims infallibility, Because, as the author of this particular version of Fox's Book of the Martyrs notes in the preface, every denomination has at some point gone astray from Scripture. The problem is when you claim to be infallible and refuse to repent and turn back to God and Jesus Christ and his word. In 1560, pope Pius IV ordered all the protestants to be severely persecuted throughout the italian states, when great numbers of every age, sex and condition suffered martyrdom.
Speaker 1:Concerning the cruelties practiced upon this occasion, a learned and humane roman catholic thus spoke of them in a letter to a noble lord I, my lord forbear, disclosing my sentiments with respect to the persecution now carrying on. I think it cruel and unnecessary. I tremble at the manner of putting to death, as it resembles more the slaughter of calves and sheep than the execution of human beings. I relate to your lordship, a dreadful scene of which I was myself an eyewitness. Lordship, a dreadful scene of which I was myself an eyewitness.
Speaker 1:Seventy Protestants were cooped up in one filthy dungeon together. The executioner went in among them, picked out one from among the rest, blindfolded him, led him out to an open place before the prison and cut his throat with the greatest composure. He then calmly walked into the prison again, bloody as he was, and, with the knife in his hand, selected another and dispatched him in the same manner. And this, my lord, he repeated till the whole number were put to death. I leave it to your lordship's feelings to judge of my sensations upon this occasion. My tears now wash the paper upon which I give you the recital. Another thing I must mention the patience with which they met. Death seemed all resignation and piety, fervently praying to god and cheerfully encountering their fate. I cannot reflect without shuddering how the executioner held the bloody knife between his teeth. What a dreadful figure he appeared, all covered with blood, and with what unconcern he executed his barbarous office. Actions always tell the tale, folks.
Speaker 1:All right, we will move on and get back into Miss Warren and the history rise and progress. History rise, progress and Termination of the American Revolution by Mercy Otis Warren. I'm going to start with Chapter 6 now. We have seen several years pass off in doubtful anxiety, in repression and repulsion, while many yet indulge the pleasing hope that some able genius might arise that would devise measures to heal the breach, to revive the languishing commerce of both countries and restore the blessings of peace by removing the causes of complaint. But these hopes vanished and all expectation of that kind were soon cut off by the determined system of coercion in Britain and the actual commencement of war in America.
Speaker 1:The earliest accounts from England after the beginning of the year 1775 announced ferments of the British nation, principally on account of American measures. The perseverance of the ministry and the obstinacy of the king in support of the system, the sudden dissolution of one parliament and the immediate election of another, composed of the same members or men of the same principles as the former Administration, had triumphed, through the late Parliament, over reason, justice and the humanity of individuals and the interest of the nation. Notwithstanding the noble and spirited opposition of several distinguished characters in both houses, it soon appeared that the influence of the ministry over the old parliament was not depreciated or that more lenient principles pervaded the councils of the new one. Nor did more judicious and favorable decisions lead to the prospect of an equitable adjustment of a dispute that had interested the feelings of the whole empire and excited the attention of neighboring nations, not as an object of curiosity but with views and expectations that might give a new face to the political and commercial systems of a considerable part of the European world, systems of a considerable part of the European world. The petition of the Continental Congress to the King, their address to the people of England, with General Gage's letters and all papers relative to America were introduced early in the session of the new Parliament, warm debates ensued and the cause of the colonies was advocated with ability and energy by the most admired orators among the commons and by several very illustrious names in the House of Lords. They descanted largely on the injustice and impolicy of the present system and the impracticability of its execution. They urged that the immediate repeal of the Revenue Acts, the recall of the troops and the opening of the Port of Boston were necessary preliminary steps to any hope of reconciliation, and that these measures only would preserve the empire from consequences that would be fatal to her interests as well as disgraceful to her councils, but predetermined in the cabinet.
Speaker 1:A large majority in parliament appeared in favor of strong measures. The ministerial party insisted that coercion only could ensue in obedience, restore tranquility to the colonies, repair the insulated, insulted dignity and reestablish the supremacy of parliament. You can't force people into any faith or away from it. Folks, our founders knew that. They also knew that without a people that followed the principles of Christ, our nation would fail. The most important thing that we can do right now to save our nation, which has always been the most important thing that we can do to save our nation more than any of the other stuff that I talk about strengthening law enforcement or militias or communication even although communication is. Part of this is spreading the gospel. The one thing that the left and Islam can never counteract is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm not going to tell you it's going to make everything look counteract as the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm not going to tell you it's going to make everything look sunshine and roses and rainbows. Folks, and it may be too late, we may have gone too far, but if there is any hope of saving America, it has to be centered around spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ every time we can, in every possible way. I have a gentleman that has become somewhat of a friend. He does a phenomenal job at this.
Speaker 1:Folks Goes into prisons, delivers Bibles Constantly, Consistently, kind of goes back to what we talked about on the previous podcast. You need somebody that's shown day in and day out that they're going to stick to their principles. This guy goes every week at least once a week into these prisons where probably not many other people are willing to go, talks to the prisoners about God and Jesus Christ, brings Bibles to different prisons. That's what we need folks. However, we can do it.
Speaker 1:We can do it, and one of the ways that we've got to get a hold of again folks is schools and education, and I understand there's a lot of people out there that don't like school choice and I get a lot of the arguments against it, against it. But perhaps the greatest argument for it is that we have to get to a point where the education of our children is centered on God and Jesus Christ and the Bible again. Somehow, somehow, some way, any way that you can do it, whatever your sphere of influence is, anytime you can share the gospel with children is a positive. It doesn't matter whether it's your education, summer school, vacation, bible school, just kids that you happen to meet or they want to start up a conversation, and it's not wearing a what would Jesus do? Bracelet or t-shirt or with any little slogan on it or bumper sticker. There's nothing wrong with that, folks, but it's how we live our lives, how we act and talking to them about Scripture and supporting those who go into these places.
Speaker 1:And supporting those who go into these places Folks. You know, there's parts of London and Paris where the Muslims have just pretty much taken over and the government doesn't go much and I'm sure there's probably already places in America that are becoming similar to that. Any organizations that are willing to go into those places, it'd be supported, encouraged and whatever way you can. Folks, god bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages, if you're married. God bless America. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world. Listen, folks, we'll talk to y'all again real soon, looking forward to it.