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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2015-07-02, Page 15PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015. By Pastor Ernest Dow Living Water Christian Fellowship, Blyth As Canadians this “Dominion Day” or “Canada Day” July 1, we can be thankful our debt situation is not like that of Greece, where the population has been queuing up, unsure whether they will be able to retrieve hard currency from their bank accounts. But as we turn 148 years old as a country and the decades continue to pass from our nation’s founding, we do have another kind of debt which we ought not to forget – a debt to the Bible, the principles of which bring democratization of truth and help protect against tyranny wherever they catch hold. Psalm 147 carries hints as to the role Scripture – as a vehicle of God’s word and principles – has in undergirding a nation’s welfare. “Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly...He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.” (Ps 147:12-15,19-20) Here we are reminded: God is to be extolled and praised as the true source of a nation’s (in the original case, Israel’s) strength and blessing. God is the one who can assure peace to a state’s borders, and bring real personal satisfaction. God’s command or “word” plays a key role, forming the foundation for just and righteous laws. In the 19th century, immigrants from the British Isles brought with them ideas of political accountability and democracy born during the Protestant Reformation, which freed patches of Europe from feudalism in the previous centuries. Vishal Mangalwadi in The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization recounts that in Germany, Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German, with revolutionary effect. “That became the foundation for reforming German-speaking Europe. The masses...began reading or hearing God’s Word in a language they understood. This democratized truth, enabling simple people (future voters) to make up their own minds in controversies between the church- state establishment and the Reformers.” In England, Mangalwadi notes that the martyrdom of Bible translator William Tyndale marked the death of the medieval world and the beginning of the modern. “Tyndale’s words shaped the language of Shakespeare, sparked revolutions in England and America, democratized nations, and ushered in a new civilization where right became superior to might.” Canada came into being July 1, 1867 upon the royal proclamation of the British North America Act. Many of those who drafted the British North America (BNA) Act were familiar with Biblical principles. Sir John A. Macdonald was the first to lay his hand upon a Bible and be sworn in as a member of the Privy Council. Another was Sir Leonard Tilley, who became Minister of Customs in Canada’s inaugural federal government. Born in 1818 in New Brunswick, Tilley was the son of a shopkeeper and apprenticed as a druggist, achieving certification by the age of 20. At 21, he heard a sermon that moved him to make what he described as a “new departure”. As Michael Clarke writes in Canada: Portraits of Faith, “He immersed himself in the Bible and committed himself to God. His evangelical beliefs emphasized Biblical faith with a social conscience and provided the framework for his life.” Leonard Tilley was elected Premier of New Brunswick in 1864, and thus played a role in the discussions leading up to Confederation. In 1866 he was at the Westminster Conference which finalized the details of the BNA Act, which Tilley helped to write. A letter by his son describes his father’s contribution of the new country’s title. “...There had been considerable discussion the day before and many suggestions as to what the new United Canada should be called, and no conclusion had been reached. The discussion on the name stood over until the next day. The next morning, as was Sir Leonard’s custom, he read a chapter from the Bible, and that particular morning he read Psalm 72. When reading verse 8 of the said Psalm – “He shall have Dominion also from sea to sea” – the thought occurred to him, ‘What a splendid name to give Canada.’ When he went back to the sitting of the convention that morning he suggested the word ‘Dominion’, which was agreed to, and Canada was called the ‘Dominion of Canada’.” John A. Macdonald explained in a letter to Queen Victoria that this name was “a tribute to the principles they earnestly desired to uphold.” Next time you pull out your passport, check carefully the wording on the Canadian Coat of Arms which is emblazoned on the front cover. Canada’s Motto (in Latin) along the bottom of the shield is, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare” (From Sea to Sea) – also from that same verse, Psalm 72:8. Such artifacts are enduring evidence that our “Dominion” owes a significant debt to the Bible, funneled through the devotion and actions of people of Christian faith such as Sir Leonard Tilley. Principles of honesty, accountability, community and democracy embedded in our policies have roots in Biblical passages that remind us of our ultimate accountability to One whose authority is higher than human sovereigns, parliaments or courts. At the meeting of the Wingham and District Hospital (WDH) Board earlier this spring, members of the Wingham & District Hospital Foundation presented their annual donation to the Hospital in the amount of $205,951. These funds supported the purchase a cardiac ultrasound machine, ultrasound stretcher, oncology weigh scale, tall bed and mattress extension. The WDH Foundation raises money annually through the Radiothon, mail campaigns, fundraising events, grants, bequests, memorial donations and general donations to support the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital. The equipment funded are items that are identified by the Hospital administration as being essential, top priority needs or that are brought to the Foundation’s attention by community members as being beneficial to an improved patient experience. Since its inception, the WDH Foundation has contributed $4,114,337 to the hospital for medical equipment and facility upgrades. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, July 5 Guest Speaker: Gloria Wilbee Sunday, July 12 Guest Speaker: Bob Kellington Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, July 5 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and at various homes at 6:30 p.m. from July 5 to Sept. 6 Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Vacation Bible School ~ July 20-24 Register on line at www.brusselscommunitybiblechapel.com/vbsgetlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 July 5: 2Sam.6:16ff Evangelical Missionary Church “David - Dealing with Difficulty, Pt. 4: Setbacks & Being Despised” July 6-10: VBS at Huron Chapel, EMC, Auburn July 20-23: Community VBS at Blyth United - tinyurl.com/blythvbs2015 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, JULY 5 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. BRUSSELS Brussels United Church invites you to worship at Melville Presbyterian Church at 10:00 am or Blyth United Church at 10:00 am for the month of July. United Church Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Other concerns: 226-963-1175 SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH From the Minister’s Study ‘Dominion’ owes significant debt to Bible WDHF donates $200k VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Huron Chapel Presents… July 6th - 10th 9:30am to 12:30pm in Auburn To register or for more information go to huronchapelkids.com Huron Chapel Presents… BIBLE AVVA Huron Chapel Presents… BIBLE TIOACAAT Huron Chapel Presents… BIBLE TION Huron Chapel Presents… July 6th - 10th 9:30am to 12:30pm in BIBLE it SC TT July 6th - 10th 9:30am to 12:30pm in SCHOOLBIBLE o register or for more information go to July 6th - 10th 9:30am to 12:30pm in OLE o register or for more information go to AuburnJuly 6th - 10th 9:30am to 12:30pm in huronchapelkids.com o register orTTo huronchapelkids.com o register or for more information go to huronchapelkids.com o register or for more information go to