The "Life And Legacy Of Episcopal Priest Enmegahbowh" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking the website for my church, St. James Episcopal, when I came upon an interesting story.  The story began telling about a fellow named John Johnson.  After becoming confused while reading, I began a search for information about the fellow known as John Johnson.  Needless to say, there are many sites to check, unless I can narrow the name down a bit.  John Johnson was supposed to be the first Native American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in the United States.  But, seems his name was at one time Enmegahjbowh which derives from Enami'egaabaw (which means "He that prays for his people standing.")  Enmegahbowh was born about 1820 and was the only child of the chief of an Ojibwe Band on Rice Lake near Peterborough, Canada.  I found that this group of Ojibwe "trade Indians" remained behind while others moved farther up the Great Lakes in search of furs.  

Enmegahbowh

Enmegahbowh was raised in a Christian village near Petersburg which was affiliated with the Methodists.  An Episcopal clergyman, Rev. Armour, persuaded Enmegahbowh's parents to send him to read and speak English.  After three months the young boy ran away and after two days of roaming, found his own people.  Enmegahbowh's grandfather was a medicine man and inducted him into the tribal religious organization known as Midewiwin.  At the age of  21 he married, are you ready for this, Biwabikogeshigequay (aka Iron Sky Woman, but baptized Charolette) who was the niece of Hole-In-The-Day.  It was at that time in his life that he met Rev. Ezekiel Gilbert Gear, the chaplain at Fort Snelling at the point where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers met, and became an Episcopalian.  Rev. Gear eventually introduced Enmegahbowh to the Rev. James Lloyd Bruce, a missionary who had arrived in the area in 1851, who baptized Enmegahbowh.  

The Rev. Enmegahbowh

In 1859 Enmegahbowh was ordained a deacon and went to Crow Wing, Minnesota to assist in founding St. Columba Mission.  Eventually Mille Lacs, known as Chief Fine-Day, took over the mission in 1861.  Now, to back up just a bit, in 1821 the Sioux Indians along the upper Minnesota River entered into two treaties with the US Government which gave millions of acres of Sioux land to the US.  In return the Sioux were to receive a reservation and annual payments totaling more than two million dollars.  Well, you know how that went.  They ultimately got a few trade goods, since the money was taken by white traders.  When Minnesota became a state in 1858, the Sioux sent representatives, led by Little Crow, to Washington, D.C. to complain.  Once again, you know had that ended.  Due to the resentment that resulted, the Dakota War of 1862 began.  Enmegahbowh, who was living in the reservation, escaped and traveled to Fort Riipley to warn them of an impending Indian attack.  When all was settled, Enmegahbowh was ordained a priest in 1867 by Bishop Whipple.  In March of 1880, Enmegahbowh and Chief Fine-Day traveled across the eastern United States for three months in order to raise money for a new St. Columba Episcopal Church at White Earth.  Over $6,000 was raised, but Chief Fine-Day died in the process.  Enmegahbowh recommended that a stained glass window be placed in the church to memorialize him.  Enmegahbowh died on June 12, 1902 at the age of 95 and is buried in St. Columba's churchyard.  Every June, during the White Earth Pow-Wow, Enmegahbowh is honored.  The Episcopal calendar of Saints remembers Enmegahbowh on June 12.  He will be remembered today in Episcopal churches around the world.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Wednesday With The Saints: Revisited" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an online newsletter sent to parishioners of St. James Episcopal Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  One of my favorite entries is called "Wednesday with the Saints."  Small stories told each week about a saint, be they well-known or never heard of before, which highlights the life, and at times the death, of a particular saint that may be related to a specific church season.  The latest edition of "Wednesday with the Saints" gives thanks for lay catechists and martyrs Agnes Tsao You Sing, Agatha Lin Zhao and Lucy Yi Zhenmei.  These three were martyred in China in the mid-nineteenth century for refusing to renounce the christian faith.  The three women were raised within Chinese Christian families and saw no conflict between their identity as Christians and their identity as Chinese women.  Others thought differently!  The following are my brief synopsis of each woman.

The death of Agnes Tsao Kou Ying

Agnes Tsao Kou Ying:  She was born in the small village of Wujiazhai in Guizhou Province in 1821. She was orphaned at a young age and had to work to support herself.  She married at 18, but her in-laws treated her poorly due to her Christian faith.  Her husband died after two years of marriage and she took shelter with an elderly Christian widow who taught her more about Christianity.  In 1852 missionary priest Fr. Auguste Chapdelaine heard of her education in the scriptures and Christian doctrine and invited her to accompany him to the province of Guangxi to catechize women and children.  Within four years they were arrested and tortured to death.  Agnes died a martyr on January 22nd, 1856.

Agatha Lin Zhao:  She was born in 1817 and was the only cild of Christian parents.  Her parents arranged a marriage for her, but at the age of 18 she asked to be released from the betrothal so she could dedicate herself to work in the church as a single laywoman.  Her parent's family line would be broken due to this request, but they agreed to her wish.  She earned a university degree and then returned to her home to run a school for girls.  In 1857 she was arrested for teaching her Christian beliefs, but claimed she had been preparing the girls to be good wives.  When she refused to renounce her Christian faith, she was executed on January 28th, 1858.

Lucy Yi Zhenmei:  She was born to a Catholic family in Suchuan, China on December 9, 1815.  Keenly interested in theological and historical studies, she began university studies, but her health and family circumstances did't permit her to continue.  When her father died she lived at home with her mother and brother and worked to support her family.  She also assisted in the parish by teaching at the local school and by catechizing women and children.  She did all this for free, feeling the need to give something back to her church.  In 1862 she accompanied Father Wen Nair to open a new Christian mission, but this was poorly welcomed by the local authorities.  Father Wen Nair and Lucy, along with three others, were arrested and sentenced to death without a formal trial.  Lucy was executed by beheading on February 19, 1862.  

Horrible deaths of all three just because they were Christians. And, after reading, do you believe this could still happen today?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A True Scholar Tries To Explain Luther And His Writings To Me" Story

Foreword:  I have written a few thousand stories over the past ten years for the blog you are reading, but my story today is one that I'm not sure I am qualified to write.  The minister whom I had visited recently to talk about Bibles and book binding has intelligence that I can only dream about having.  Rev. Adam Morton received me with enthusiasm and was very interested in the family Bible I handed him, but the knowledge he possesses about Martin Luther and his writings, the German language, bookbinding and Christianity in general left me behind as if I had never studied any of the topics before.  He is an amazing young man who made me feel part of the conversation as well as asking me a few times about a variety of topics.  But, I was mostly lost in the dust as we talked!  Therefore, I'm not sure I can do him justice with the following story, but the tale I have to tell might at least make you interested in the topics they will cover.  Let's see...

The family pages on which you can report births
and deaths.  I had found a carnation as well as a
clipping from the newspaper when I first viewed it.

It was an ordinary day.  Just pulled out my old family Bible to see if Adam could help me understand a bit more about the history of the "German Die Bibel" which was printed in 1846 in Philadelphia, PA.  And, why would I ask this associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania?  Well, he holds several Master's degrees as well as a start on a Doctorate in Theology, and a recent newspaper article about him made me think he would be the person to answer my questions.  Adam Morton is a very refined young gentleman who appears to be much younger than his reported 40 years of age, but he is a whiz with history and knowledge of Martin Luther and any publications associated with him.  He was able to give me a fair guess at a date for my Bible (I hadn't told him the date inside my Bible cover) by the style and usage of the German used in the Bible.  

Rev. Adam Morton holding a 1518 collection
of writings by Martin Luther.  The book on
his desk is an illustrated collection of
writings about Lutheranism from 1571.
Photo was taken by LNP photographer
Dan Marschka.

I initially called Adam after reading about him in Lancaster's newspaper's "The Scribbler" column written by Jack Brubaker in the August 14, 2019 newspaper.  Jack has been writing stories about Lancaster County and its residents for years in his "The Scribbler" column and when he posted his article about Adam, I knew I just had to make a visit.  Two books which were part of Trinity's archives were featured and after seeing photos taken by staff photographer Dan Marschka, I wanted to see them for myself to see how they may have been bound years ago.  One of the classes I taught in high school included book binding in which my classes made their own marbled paper for the end sheets of the book they folded and bound by sewing the paper signatures by hand with linen thread.  I was hoping to see how these two sixteenth century books had been bound. Well, when Adam and I finished examining my Bible, he pulled out the church's 1518 collection of writings by Martin Luther that they had just gotten back from a local bookbinder.  

The new binding on the right and the old cover that
he had taken off on the left.

The bookbinder did a very nice job of rebinding, but I personally would have chosen a different material and color for the cover of the book.  The book contained some of the very early writings by Luther including "Ad LeonemX", "Pontificem Maximun" and Martin Luther's "Ninety-five Theses."  Wow, just to hold this manuscript in my hands was remarkable.  How many scholars had opened these pages in the past few hundred years.  Rev. Morton found another one of the two volumes on his desk one morning when he came to work at Trinity Lutheran Church in center city Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

This is the 1571 rare illustrated collection
of writings about Lutheranism.  It was
donated by D. Mellinger Swarr in 1885.

The book had been brought to his office by a church archivist.  It was titled "Corpus Doctrinae Christianae" and was a collection of early Lutheran writings.  It was published in Germany in 1571 which was 25 years after the death of Martin Luther.  In the book was a note dated 1885 which explained that the book was a gift from a Mr. D.M. Swarr.  Adam became interested in the book and began a search of the church's archives and found five more rare books that chronicled the early years of Lutheranism.  The majority of the books he had found were in a box labeled "Luther."  Another book contained the first-ever published collection of writings by Luther.  "Ad Leonem X, Pontificem Maximum" (To Pope Leo X) contained the famed "Ninety-five Theses."  Everything was in Latin and published in 1518 by Johann Frozen.  The book is one of only 15 known to exist.  

You may be able to read what was written in the book
that was donated by Mr. Swarr on February 6, 1985.

Most copies were ordered destroyed when Luther was declared a heretic and excommu- nicated.  Across the end of the book is written in Latin, "Beware."  Just to hold this manuscript was amazing.  A letter that accompanied the book told how Mr. Swarr had ordered the book from Berlin, Germany and had given it to his church in 1883, the 400th anniversary of Luther's birth.  The other books Adam had found were also donations from Swarr.  Seems that Mr. D. Mellinger Swarr was a Mennonite who had limited formal education.  He did know enough to realize the importance of the books he had in his possession.  

These are two illustrated pages of the Ten Commandments.

One of the books, a 1455 book that consisted of an oration of Aeneus Silvius, who later became Pope, was "stagger- ingly rare" according to Adam.  Mr. Swarr died in the early 20th century at the Lancaster County Home and is buried in Quarryville, PA.  So, why and how did this man donate these rather rare and beautiful books to his church.  Maybe Adam will be the one to eventually find the answer to that question.  Adam and I shared a few more stories about bookbinding and after a grateful "Thank-You" to Adam, I departed, relishing the time I had spent with this religious scholar.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
  
Postscript:  My notes from my visit are lengthy, but as I began to write, I realized how much I didn't know and understand that Adam had shared with me.  Therefore, my story is limited to what I was sure were correct facts and not just nonsense that might alter history. 

The "Bible Production And The Decline of Christianity" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reviewing some of my notes that I recently scribbled on a note pad during a visit with the assistant minister of Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  We had a very interesting conversation about a few extraordinary manuscripts, if I dare call them that, before I departed his office.  The Christian manuscripts, which I will share with you tomorrow, were amazing, but they made me think of the variety of religions that exist on our globe.  About 83% of the world are faithful followers of one of the classical religions: Baha'i, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism and Zoroastrianism.  These religions are the most prominent spiritual traditions that still exist, and "NO", I did not make any of them up if that's what you're thinking.  About 65% of those living in the United States consider themselves Christians, but sadly that figure was 12% higher ten years ago.  During that same ten year period of time those who consider themselves atheist, agnostic or having no religious affiliation has grown by 9%.  Could it be due to the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention being plagued with clergy sex-abuse scandals as well as the United Methodist Church and Anabaptist denominations facing a schism over LGBT churchgoers.  And, it seems that more Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials are rethinking religion.  A recent telephone survey says that about a quarter of the population in the United States does not value religion as in the past.  Rural America hasn't been affected as much as areas that are more mobile, but what can be done...if anything.  

Another problem that has arisen due to the lack of churchgoers is the production of Bibles.  Seems that the company known as LSC Communications has had to lay off most of its workers in nearby Philadelphia due to the decline in Bible sales.  They have printed more than a billion since they first began production, but the Bible business has gone soft.  The Gideon Bible has been a fixture in many hotels and motels, but with more travelers from non-Christian countries and the decline in U.S. church-going customers, Bibles are not in as much demand as in the past.  Many Baby Boomers drifted away from organized religions and many of their offspring are part of the same movement.  Europe experienced the same drop in religion a century ago and that trend is now part of American society.  I can remember when I wanted to become a member of St. James Church in Lancaster so that I could partake of the bread and wine in communion, I was required to memorize the names of all the books in the Bible.  Why, I'm not sure, but I did it because I wanted to become a member as were my mom and dad.  To this day I can still reel off most of them.  But, people got sick of having to do things such as this, so they strayed away from religion.  Today, many newer members to different religions are growing up in a society that has been more open to LGBT types of concerns.  And, if the church shuns those members of society, the younger members will also leave the church.  Today's churches must come up with a different way to articulate the message of Christianity in a way that makes sense to all.  I, for one, believe that will happen, but how long will it take?  Only God knows.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Not So Simple Simon" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just left the front gate of Cemetery Shaaral Shomauim after trying to gain access and take a photograph of the tombstone of businessman and entrepreneur Joseph Simon who was Lancaster's first and last known colonial Jewish resident.  

Entrance to Cemetery Shaaral Shomauim.  Click photos to enlarge.

I found the main gate was padlocked as were the two smaller side gates.  Would have loved to explored the area around Mr Simon's tombstone to see what may have been written about him on its surface.  

Joseph Simon

Mr. Simon was born in 1712, probably in Germany.  One the earliest documents that exists in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that carries his name is a deed for property he purchased sometime around 1746.  By the time Mr. Simon had arrived in Lancaster, the town was the gateway for travel and commerce to the west.  For those leaving Philadelphia and other nearby cities and towns, Lancaster was the last stop where they could buy guns, hardware, tools and even a Conestoga wagon on their way across the mighty Susquehanna River and points west.  Being the entrepreneur that he was, he established a trading post on the southwest corner of what is now known as Penn Square in the center of Lancaster.  

This is the earliest photograph I have ever found
of the center of Lancaster, PA.  I assume the store
of Mr. Simon was located on one of the corners.

At times he would travel west himself to trade with Native Americans for valuable furs.  He would in turn export these furs to his Jewish merchants in Philadelphia who would export them to England.  He also owned and operated a hardware store as well as made potash and distilled liquor.  At one time he was involved in close to a dozen different partnerships and was a powerful economic force west of Philadelphia.  He was also one of the first white men, since the early explorers, to reach the Mississippi when he traveled down the Ohio River in the 1740s.  In 1755 British General Edward Braddock bought provisions from Simon during the French and Indian War.  

This Pennsylvania Historical Marker is at the corner of
North Queen and West Orange Streets in downtown Lancaster.

The Revolu- tionary War saw him supplying blankets, guns and ammunition to the patriots as well as taking care of British prisoners held in Lancaster.  His only deterrent to becoming an extremely wealthy man was the extent that Jews were allowed to gain wealth.  He helped found the Juliana Public Library in 1759 and five years later helped to found the Union Fire Company.  In 1961 he managed the lottery in Lancaster that helped to build a bridge over the Conestoga River.  He was said to have donated powder and lead to the patriots after Lexington and Concord and helped pay for the messenger that made connections between George Washington's army and Lancaster. 

I believe this to be the family graveyard plot of Joseph Simon.
I wasn't able to enter the cemetery and did not take this photo.

He was also known as the leader of Lancaster's Jewish community by holding services in his two story home that held his trading post in the center of town. At the time of his death on January 24, 1804, he owned two Torahs.  He was buried in the cemetery he had developed in 1747 with his friend Isaac Nunes Henriques at 227 East Liberty Street to the north of the town of Lancaster.  It is the fourth oldest Jewish cemetery in the United States and the one I tried to visit.  I have found online that the inscription on Joseph Simon's tombstone read: And Joseph gave up the Ghost, and died in good old age.  An old man, and fun of years was gathered to his people.  Joseph Simon departed this life the 12th day of the month Shebot, in the year 5565, corresponding with the 24th day of January, 1804, aged 92 years, in a good old age. 'And he walked with God, and he was not; For God took him.'  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Jersey Shore: One Last Look...Could It Really Happen?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Picked up a copy of the "Seven Mile Times" during a recent visit to Stone Harbor, New Jersey to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant, Marabella's Family Restaurant.  Leafing through the newspaper when I saw the headline on page 64 that read, "One Last Look - Behind the Walls of Villa Maria by-the-Sea."  

Nun's Beach located in front of Villa Marie on Seven Mile Beach.

It was five years ago that I wrote a story about the Nun's Beach Surfing Compe- tition and our visit to Villa Maria.  As I read the article it told the story of the coming  destruction of the 80-plus year old landmark in Stone Harbor.  This house on the waterfront is so beautiful and I image it must be heartbreaking for the nuns to even think about tearing down a piece of Stone Harbor history.  

Villa Marie by-the-Sea

This place has been a "home" for many nuns in the past, but after reading the fiscal hardships that face the order, I can see why they might have to come to the conclusion of demolition and building a much smaller building.  The tradition of the sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary spending the summer months at the shore began seven miles north of Villa Maria in 1913 in Sea Isle City.  

View of the Villa Marie in the 1930s.

The family of Sister Kathleen Rowan offered the use of their spacious summer home in Sea Isle to be used by the order.  The spiritual invigoration provided by the summer escape to the shore by the order made them realize they should look for a larger place along the shore.  

Another view of Villa Marie in 1955.

They eventually purchased the Hotel Carlton in Cape May Point and that was home for the sisters for almost 20 years.  But, storms caused problems with that site and in 1936 they began to look at Stone Harbor.  They found a site adjacent to 111th and 112th Streets for $2,000.  Can you imagine buying a property on the beach for that price today!  But, it was a time of instability and during the Great Depression.  

Picture Postcard of Villa Marie by the Sea in Stone Harbor, N.J.

Groundbreaking took place February 2, 1937 with the nearest home being on 96th Street.  Villa Marie, with a construc- tion price of $125,000, became the second largest structure in Cape May County, behind the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City, NJ.  

Groundbreaking for Villa Maria on February 2, 1937.

When ground was broken it impacted many people who obtained a much needed job.  

Garden with Stations-of-the-Cross.

During the winter of 1937 as many as 300 workers worked on the project.  It was a "godsend" to the community.  Initially the house had only small rooms and a chapel with offices, dining room, kitchen, laundry and assembly hall.  Hey, you're at the beach!  That's all that's needed!  Today there are 185 rooms.  It was considered a miracle that the construction took only 118 days.  The funding to maintain Villa Maria comes from each convent in the order.  The sisters were given the chore of maintaining the building.  

Lancaster Catholic High School art teacher
designed this T-Shirt for Nun's Beach competition.

They did every chore from painting to cooking to maintenance and cooking.  Villa Marie houses about 130 sisters who  typically attend ten-day retreats.  Six days are devoted to liturgy, meditation and prayer while the other four days are free to socialize with family and friends.  The final decision hasn't been finalized as far as destruction of the Villa Marie.  Perhaps they have plans to rebuild another retreat that is less costly to maintain, but will still allow them to enjoy the rejuvenation they experience while visiting the shore every year.  I'm sure many await their coming decision.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Can Call Me Rev. Woods" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Playing an online game when my wife, who was reading the morning newspaper, told me the bad news.  She said, "Look at this...you will no longer be able to marry couples in the state of Tennessee!"  I replied, "Jeez, that's one more state that I can't use my online diploma to marry a couple.  I can't marry couples any longer in Tennessee as well as Virginia and in some parts of my home state of Pennsylvania."  In Lancaster County, where I call home, I may marry couples, but the Lancaster County Register of Wills advises the couple to consult with an attorney to make certain the marriage is legal under state law.  It was back in 2010 that I finished my requirements to become an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church Monastery which has been issuing online ordination credentials since 1962.  

A sample of the certificate you receive.

About 3,000 to 5,000 people are ordained every month.  It takes about 24 hours for the church to process an ordination request and it's free!  If you care to have an actual certificate, that will cost you a few dollars.  I have my paperwork telling that I am an ordained minister and should  be called Reverend Woods.  Seems that a fellow by the name of Gabriel (isn't that a churchy name?), who lives in Tennessee, got the news that he can't marry his two male friends, since a new law just passed on May 21 that prevents online ministers from solemnizing weddings starting July 1.  Now Gabriel and two other ministers ordained online by the Universal Life Church Monastery have filed a lawsuit in federal court that alleges the new legislative action violates their rights of expression and religion.  Then a judge in Tennessee blocked the law and ordered a trial to be held.  

The article telling the news about Tennessee banning
online marriages in their state.

A date in November or December will tell the fate of the law.  Online ministers often marry gay couples or bilingual weddings or weddings that are interfaith, not religious or not affiliated with traditional churches.  Gabriel, who has performed four gay weddings, calls the new law a backdoor attack on the LGBT community, impeding his ability to legally marry.  Tennessee argues that an ordination that takes little more than a "click of a mouse" is not sufficient to authorize a person to solemnize marriages.  The state also says it is impossible to determine online whether a person had the "care of souls" as their law now states.  About one in seven weddings are performed by a friend of the couple says the president of the non-denominational Universal Life Church.  The online church, as of 2010, when I posted a story about my ordination, has ordained 18 million people.  My certificate tells me that I can perform weddings, baptisms, give communion, preach sermons and even count the money in the offering plate.  Can I claim a tax break for being a minister?  Why did I decide to be an online minister?  Just because I could do it!  I have never performed any type of service and really don't want to.  Hey, it was free and it made for a good story.  But, now the government is getting involved and who knows what will happen.  I'm sure nothing good will come from all of this. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Catholic Church On The Island Of Sint Maarten" Story

St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church on Front Street.

It was an ordinary day.  Walking along Front Street in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten when I pass the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church.  The music emanating from the open windows draws me into the church to see what is the source of the music.  I find a group of about six parishioners, one with a banjo while the rest are vocalists, creating music that just makes you want to tap your foot to the rhythm.  

Front Street side of today's church.

A few years ago I wrote about this church that sits between the boardwalk and Front Street.  It was back in the 15th century that Christopher Columbus gave the name of St. Martin to the island when he set foot upon it on November 11, 1493.  That date happened to be the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, France.  When the church in Philipsburg was completed it took the name of St. Martin of Tours.  The Catholic Church is well founded on the island of St. Martin-Sint Maarten with a few Catholic parishes spread across the island that is part French and part Dutch.  My story today talks a bit more about the building that sits a few blocks east of the church on Front Street.  

The side entrance into the church.

In 1887 Father Nieuwenhuis died.  He left a sum of money, a house and a piece of property behind.  One of these houses was specially built for Catholic Sisters.  It was on April 15, 1890 that a group of Catholic Sisters left Holland and landed on the island of St. Kitts where they quickly chartered a schooner and on May 3 landed on St. Maarten.

St. Mary Boarding School on Front Street.  East of the church.

The house was so large that it became a convent for the Sisters as well as a school with classrooms.  It was known as the St. Joseph Convent and school.  The school opened on Monday June 3, 1890 with a Holy Mass.  All the students were in attendance and after mass went to their new classrooms.  The students were divided into two sections: Paying and non-paying.  

Sisters lead the children past the school.

The population of the school was: 62 children in kinder- garten, 14 children in the paying section and 56 in the non-paying section.  The main problem on day one was the language difference between Sisters and the children as well as students that lacked any discipline.  Eventually things got better and the school began to grow.  

Today's view of the building after it was repaired.

Then in 1923 a wooden building was constructed and named St. Mary's Boarding School.  Girls from neighboring islands lived there as they went to school.  In 1930 other islands began instruction of their own and the boarding school on Front Street closed it's doors.  

Final view of the building.

It continued as a primary school until 1990 when the building went over into private hands.  Hurricane Irma, a category 5 hurricane devastated St. Maarten on September 6, 2017 and destroyed the complete second floor of the old school.  A new cement roof has now replaced the old roof and the new owners have taken in consideration the history of the building and have keep the exterior looking the same.  As I stand in front of the repaired building today, I find it to be as beautiful as I'm sure the original one must have been.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Memorializing St. James" Story

St. James Episcopal Church was founded in 1744 with
services held in the Court House, as shown here.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the weekly newsletter sent by email to me from St. James Episcopal Church in Lancaster, PA.  News of the parish such as important celebrations as well as a short story about one of the saints is always included.  Although the newsletter is short, it still gives you something to think about which I'm sure was the intent of the newsletter.  Being that Lancaster is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States, it is rich in religious history.  

St. James ca. 1820.

If you travel around the city and county you will find churches and meeting places for Mennonites, Amish, Moravians, Roman Catholics, Jewish... and the list goes on and on.  Churches with names memorial- izing St. Luke, St. Benedict, St. Anne and any number or other saints line the streets and roads of Lancaster.  So why were they given their name?  St. James Episcopal began in 1744, but closed during the Revolutionary War due to having an English minister at the time.  

St. James Episcopal as seen today.

After the Revolution, peace was restored and the boards covering the windows of the church were removed.  It still retained St. James as its patron saint.  So, who is this guy we named our church after?  Seems that James was one of the sons of Zebedee and was sometimes referred to as James the Greater since his cousin was known as James the Less.  He was a fisherman by trade and was called by Jesus as a fisher of men.  After the Ascension, James traveled to Spain to preach the Gospel and then returned to Jerusalem.  

St. James the Greater.

In 44 AD he was beheaded and the site of his martyrdom has become a destination for pilgrims in what is now the Cathedral of Saint James in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.  James the Greater is the patron saint of several countries including Spain and its city Santiago (Spanish for Saint James) and the Philippines.  James is also the patron saint of veterinarians, equestrians, furriers, tanners and pharmacists.  On special days when we celebrate St. James in our church, the church is adorned in red as a symbol of the blood of the martyrs that was shed for Christ.  A truly beautiful sight.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So How Do You Feel About Sports And Religion?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading another story about athletes and their religion.  I have found quite a few stories in the past couple of weeks that tell of professional athletes and their willingness to tell the story of their faith and how it has influenced their life and the choices they now make.  

Nick Foles and Carson Wentz, Eagles quarterbacks.

As you have probably read if you are a reader of my blog, I am a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.  Not the boisterous and obnoxious fan as many are, but just a plain down-to-earth fan of a great football team.   I loved the way the team fought their way to the Super Bowl through the many injuries and setbacks they endured.  But what impressed me the most were the leaders on the team who quietly talked of not only their football journey, but their spiritual journey.  We all know the story of Nick Foles and the fact that he wants to become a pastor sometime in the near future, but there are many more athletes on the team that also worship the same God that Nick Foles does.  The guy who Nick replaced in the lineup when he went down, Carson Wentz, said that "Faith, to me, is the No. 1 thing in my life.  If Jesus isn't in it, I don't want to be a part of it."  It was reported that the Eagles' Christian faith became "the locker room's binding force" as the team played through injury after injury.  Some of the leaders on the field weren't afraid or embarrassed to talk about their faith and this had to be an influence on others in the locker room.  Sure, some just didn't feel comfortable talking about Jesus, and there may have been a few who didn't care about religion, but for those who did, they felt it was that force that brought the players closer together as a team and as individuals.  They had as much belief in Jesus as they did in their coach, Doug Pederson.  Many teams have Bible study groups, but the Eagles' group seemed to grow throughout the season.  

The baptism of Marcus Johnson before a game.

On October 12th, before the Eagles would take the field against the Carolina Panthers later that evening, Eagle wide receiver Marcus Johnson gathered with a bunch of teammates and friends at the hotel pool to be baptized.  It was so important to him that he posted a photo of his baptism on his Twitter account.  I've played sports most of my life, but have never been exposed to teammates such as were on the Eagles this year.  I have always believed in the Holy Trinity, but what might I have become if I had been a member of the Eagles this year?  

An advertisement for the movie "42"

I also recently read a story about the 2013 movie about Jackie Robinson, the baseball player that broke the color barrier in major league baseball.  The story said that Robinson's faith was integral to his success, but you didn't see any of that if you went  to see the movie.  The filmmakers of the movie "42" were evidently uncomfortable with all this religious stuff and avoided it in the movie.  And, many believe that omitting the role of faith in this story does a serious disservice to history.  Seems that Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey made it clear to Robinson that he wanted someone to be the first African American in the majors "with guts enough not to fight back."  He needed someone who would resist the temptation to retaliate.  If not, they would not succeed in baseball.  Robinson was chosen by the deeply religious Rickey because of his faith and moral character.  He knew Robinson was more than a great athlete.  He could turn the other cheek.  

First African American to play in the Major Leagues. Jackie
Robinson, the Hall Of Fame player, broke the color barrier
in 1947.  His faith was a major reason for his success.

It was said that there were many nights during his first couple of years that he got down on his knees asking for strength from God.  Seems that the filmmakers of "42" were uncomfor- table with all this so they just avoided putting it in the film.  Faith had always played a big part in Jackie Robinson's life.  Couldn't they see how much more powerful the movie could have been had they included this in the film?  I'm sorry to say that much of the abuse Jackie Robinson had to endure was at the hands of my favorite Philadelphia baseball club, the Phillies.  The name calling and taunting he had to endure were tremendous.  Only after realizing this do you truly understand how special Jackie Robinson really was.  Religion will always be a part of sports.  Some wish it weren't true, but it's bound to be part of sports as much as religion is part of life.  So, should we embrace it or not.  I guess it is up to each and every one of us to decide for ourselves.  I believe you know how I feel, but do you know how you feel?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.