WILLIAM BLAKE

Blake's death

On the day of his death, Blake worked relentlessly on his Dante series. Eventually, it is reported, he ceased working and turned to his wife, who was in tears by his bedside. Beholding her, Blake is said to have cried, "Stay Kate! Keep just as you are – I will draw your portrait – for you have ever been an angel to me." Having completed this portrait (now lost), Blake laid down his tools and began to sing hymns and verses. At six that evening, after promising his wife that he would be with her always, Blake died. Gilchrist reports that a female lodger in the same house, present at his expiration, said, "I have been at the death, not of a man, but of a blessed angel."

George Richmond gives the following account of Blake's death in a letter to Samuel Palmer ...
"He died ... in a most glorious manner. He said He was going to that Country he had all His life wished to see & expressed Himself Happy, hoping for Salvationn through Jesus Christ

— Just before he died His Countenance became fair. His eyes Brighten'd and he burst out Singing of the things he saw in Heaven."

WILBERFORCE

Amazing Grace

I've just been to see 'Amazing Grace' , a film about the efforts of William Wilberforce and his life long battle to abolish slavery in 19th century Britain. Year after year he presented his abolitionist bill to Westminster until at last it was accepted by a majority of M.P.'s and voted into law.Along the way Wilberforce was greatly influenced by his friendship with John Newton, himself a former slave master. Newton underwent a dramatic conversion to Christ and over a period of time the enormity of the awfulness of slavery became an acute cause of distress to him.He became a firm supporter of Wilberforce and the Abolitionists cause. Now, of course we remember Newton for that stirring hymn of testimony Amazing Grace, which he wrote.

The most memorable lines in the film are when Newton declares to Wilberforce..."I only know two things for certain,that I am a great sinner, and Jesus is a great Saviour!"

The film also concenterates on Wilberforces own spiritual awakening, and how his faith propelled his lifelong crusade for justice and equality for all people and indeed for every creature! As well as his long campaign to outlaw slavery,Wilberforce also fought for the rights of English workers and founded the R.S.P.C.A. to protect animals against neglect and cruelty.

The film portrayal of this fierce crusader shows him in all his humanity and frailty, yet tireless in his pursuit of what he considered right and just.

At one point in his early political life Wilberforce was faced with an apparent dilemna,could a man of faith also become a man of politics ? Quickly however a group of radical churchmen rallied around him and showed him that sometimes to effect real change , the man of faith must become involved in politics to inject Gods values into a society. Once Wilberforce was clear on his mission, he continued this course to the end of his life.

'Amazing Grace' challenges anyone who sees themselves as people of faith into this question.."What am I prepared to do in my world to make a difference for others?" We are being challenged on many fronts to 'do our bit'...for the environment...for the worlds poor...for peace in war torn lands...for social equality in our own country etc,. While this film doesnt make any of those choices easier to make, it does encourage us in our individual response, as we follow the long and lasting differences that were made by one passionate man under God.

I left the cinema deeply moved by the evil of the slave trade and inspired by the achievements of Wilberforce in the face of huge opposition. It also made me do a stock -take of my own less than inspiring life ! Not many 'entertainments' nowadays can raise those kind of questions and for that reason alone it should be seen, and with Gods grace the awkward questions raised must be answered.

Gerard O'Shea

JOHN NEWTON

We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.

John Newton

John Newton 1725–1807, English clergyman and hymn writer, b. London. Until 1755, his life was spent chiefly at sea, where he eventually became the captain of a slave ship plying the waters between Liverpool and Sierra Leone. For the subsequent five years he was surveyor of tides at Liverpool, using his leisure time for the study of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and theology. Newton, who was much influenced by the religious reformer George Whitefield, was ordained in the Church of England and appointed curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1764. When William Cowper made his home in the parish, friendship and literary sympathy between the two men resulted in their publishing jointly the Olney Hymns (1779 and later eds.). Among the best known of Newton's hymns are “Amazing Grace,” by far his most famous work, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds”, “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken,” and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way.” From 1779 he was rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, London where he became known as an abolitionist preacher. Newton's first-hand testimony before Parliament regarding the evils of slavery aided in the passage of legislation (1807) barring the British slave trade.

TIS THE SPRINGTIME

Spring Came

Flinging song of warblers

blooming jade of pine

red tinge on hillside

green in bleached

dead grass of winter

new spears, blood edged,soon to be tulips

stars of brilliant hues,cups of gold and white

crocus, aconite

lines blur, soften.The wonder - birth

not the cold, wintry orb,but sun of love

gold, water dances, released,sings, lulls day slow -wood cock's vibrations

in earth-scented cool evening

sunset-gold to night

planets, stars dancelook - and wonder.

Kendra Peters (14)

HOLMES DOES IT AGAIN !

ELEMENTARY,WATSON

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine, they lay down for the night, and went to sleep.Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend."Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars.""What does that tell you?" Holmes asked.Watson pondered for a minute. "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and insignificant.Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.What does it tell you?"Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke."Watson, you idiot. Somebody has stolen our tent!"

FRANK PHILLIPS

My Remarkable Uncle

.

My uncle Frank Phillips is a fascinating man who has been an inspiration to me for as long as I can remember. Frank like so many others of his generation , was forced to seek out work in London where he lived for over forty years. During all that time he never lost touch with his roots in Ballycannon just outside Limerick. I remember as a child listening to my mother reading aloud Franks letters, in which he would reminisce about his old neighbours and the pleasant days he spent growing up in their midst. Even though Frank made his living in the building trade in the cosmopolitan city of London he retained a precise memory of the people and places he left behind in Ireland. He could literally travel the Ballycannon road in his minds eye noting every gap and gate and house as he went. For all I know he could note every bush and tree as well ,as he travelled this mental road!His memory of past events is still astonishing even to this present day.One of Franks many talents is the ability to remember poetry that he learned a long time ago, and he has the knack of quoting sizable chunks of verse at an appropriate moment! He disparages this talent by saying "I'm a mine of useless information!" Like many others I have dug rich nuggets from this "mine" over the years, and have listened spellbound as Frank recited works by the great classical writers. The following poem is one of his favourites, and has become one of mine. ..

Leisure

WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

W.H.Davies

LIMERICK LEADER LETTER

IN THE NEWS

Last weeks local The Limerick Leader led with a headline FURY OVER GAY HATE PREACHER,with Limericks gay community calling for a meeting by the Reverend Angus Stewart to be cancelled. Apparently Reverend Steweart was planning to address the question of what the Bible teaches about homosexuality at an upcoming public meeting.A spokesperson for the gay community in Limerick Vanessa Buswell believed the meeting should not be allowed to take place, saying "Gay and lesbian people should have the freedom not to be required to live by someone elses view of morality". She called for a public boycott of the debate if it was allowed to take place.As it turned out the Limerick Youth Service the proposed venue for the meeting withdrew permission for the event. In response to this article I have sent the following letter to the Limerick Leader...

The Limerick Gay Community’s reaction to a proposed address by the Reverend Angus Stewart is fanatical and disproportionate, in my view. Understandably the LGC does not share Reverend Stewarts views on the subject of homosexuality, but that’s not the issue. The issue is the right to express a difference of opinion in a public forum in the context of a pluralist society !
Gone are the bad old days when we bowed to the might of the church, and when debate on issues, particularly of a sexual nature were unheard of. In those times one view alone held sway and opposition was barely tolerated. Also past are the days when homosexual people were pilloried and discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. How ironical then that a group representing that minority should now seek to silence the dissenting views of a visiting clergyman! Having suffered the stifflement of the old church orthodoxy are we now to replace it with a new liberal orthodoxy against which we daren’t demur ?

Gerard O’Shea