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More Historic Happenings

December 25

0337 - Earliest possible date that pagan holiday of Christmas was celebrated
as a 'christian' holiday on set date of Dec 25th

0352 - 1st definite date of pagan Christmas (christianized Saturnalia) was
celebrated on Dec 25th by RCC

0525 - Easter tables by Dioysius Exiguus wrongly give December 25th as the
date of Christ's birth.

0795 - Death of Pope Adrian I.

0800 - Pope Leo III crowns Charles the Great (Charlemagne), Roman emperor

1003 - John XVIII is consecrated Pope

1185 - Urban III (left) is elected pope. He spent most of his pontificate
in exile owing to his insistence that the pope, not the Roman Senate should
govern the papal estates.

1537 - German reformer Martin Luther was recorded as saying: 'It is the most
ungodly and dangerous business to abandon the certain and revealed will of
God in order to search in to the hidden mysteries of God.'

1563 - The decision is made at the Council of Trent to reform the religious
orders.

1651 - The General Court of Boston levied a five shilling fine on anyone
caught “observing any such day as Christmas.”

1723 - The Dunkards (Baptists from Germany) held their first immersion service
in America at Germantown (near Philadelphia), Pennsylvania.

1898 - The first continental council of the Latin American Roman Catholic
church is convened. It issues 998 canons. Tries to check anti-Catholic
influences. Thirteen archbishops and forty-one bishops are present at this
meeting in Rome.

December 26

0268 - Dionysius ends his reign as Catholic Pope

0418 - Zosimus ends his reign as Catholic Pope

0795 - Leo III is elected pope.

1790 -A Constitution is adopted by the First Day Society in Philadelphia.

1877 - Socialist Labor Party of North America holds 1st natl convention

1917 - Federal government took over operation of American RR for duration
of WWI

1926 - Prince-regent Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan

December 27

0418 - Zosimus, Greek Pope (417- , dies

1437 - Albrecht II von Habsburg becomes king of Bohemia

1945 - 28 nations signed an agreement creating the World Bank. The International
Monetary Fund and the Bank for Reconstruction and Development was created.
Better known as the World Bank.

1968 - China PR performs nuclear test at Lop Nor PRC

1983 - Pope John Paul II pardons man who shot him (Mehmet Ali Agca)

1987 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

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Journey To The Center of The Earth

Explorer Steve Currey is organizing a June 26 to July 19, 2005 expedition
to the North Pole to find the alleged polar "opening" to the alleged hollow
center of the Earth - just like the fantasy "Journey To The Center of The
Earth." Currey is one of the leading river explorers in the world. He has
made first descents on the upper Yangtze River in China, Brahmaputra and
Upper Ganges rivers in India, Futaleufu River in Chile, Katun River in Siberia
and Tsangpo River in Tibet through the world's deepest canyon featured in
National Geographic Adventure magazine.

Currey has chartered a nuclear icebreaker with the capacity for 108 passengers
for the purpose of taking a group to find the supposed polar opening to an
interior earth. Passenger hopefuls will pay ticket prices ranging from $18,950
to $20,950 per person. The promoter of this event is Rodney Cluff, LDS author
of World Top Secret: Our Earth Is Hollow. One of the beliefs, of some 4%
of Mormons, is that this inner earth is the political kingdom of God and
is inhabited by descendants of the throne of the biblical King David.
Cluff also believes that the lost Garden of Eden is in the hollowed
earth, and its inhabitants are members of the lost 10 tribes. Cluff
also believes that the inner sun, which is located in the inner earth, is
the throne of Jehovah and a paradise for the dead. Other beliefs he
said he hopes to prove include that UFOs originate from the inner earth,
and solar winds and the inner sun cause the northern lights. The alleged
journey into this fabled land has only been claimed by a few including the
questionable Olaf Jansen and Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, U.S.N in his
1947 flight. On The Net:
http://www.expeditioncompany.net/upcoming_trip.htm?trip_id=67

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Arnold-berg

On the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger was presented with a large Menorah by several California rabbis
while attending the 10th annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony in celebration
of Hanukkah.

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SabbathKeeping in Milan

"Ambrose, the celebrated bishop of Milan, said that
when he was in Milan he observed Saturday, but when in Rome observed Sunday.
This gave rise to the proverb 'When you are in Rome, do as Rome does,' "
~Heylyn, The History of the Sabbath, 1613 [This quote was to show
Sabbath keepers still held the 7th day after Rome had 'changed the law of
God'. - Re: the comment: 'When you are in Rome, do as Rome does,' - What
a jesuitical statement! When among the sheep wear your sheepskin O' Wolf
~ kh]

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Sabbath Morning Companion  [Date: 12/26/2003 From: Lenny
Cacchio used with permission]

The Super-Duper Apostles

The word "credentials" comes from the Latin "credere", meaning "to believe,
to trust, to entrust." Because these days we hear the ministry talking about
their credentials (as in "my credentials are held at the such-and such church"),
it should be instructive to see how the Apostle Paul viewed his credentials.

First, he did not go up to Jerusalem to seek his credentials, but instead
went to Arabia and Damascus for three years (Gal. 1:17-19).  He says
he was approved "by God" to be "entrusted with the Gospel" (I Thess. 2:4
NKJV). Remember that one of the definitions of "credere" - to be
"entrusted". 

He says further in verse 4 that he didn't speak to please men but God, and
neither did they seek glory from men (verse 6).

When being accused by the false "super apostles" (II Cor. 12:11 NIV), he
defended his apostleship by the things he suffered.  He worked harder,
suffered more whippings and beatings, spent more years in prison, was
shipwrecked, robbed, went hungry, cold and naked, and was stoned and left
for dead. (II Cor. 11:23-27) 

He claimed his credentials based on his deep care for the brethren. "Who
is weak and I am not weak?", he wrote to the Corinthians (II Cor. 11:28-29).
He suffered and did not run as a hireling would. 

His credentials were based on the visions he saw when he was caught up into
the third heaven (II Cor. 12:1-5). And then he lists what the sign of an
apostle are: "The things that mark an apostle -- signs, wonders and miracles
-- were done among you with great perseverance." (II Cor 12:12-13 NIV) Without
these signs, the Corinthians could rest assured that their "super apostles"
weren't so super after all.

A passage in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians gives us further insight
into what was important to Paul.  In the ninth chapter (verse 2) he
called the Corinthians the "seal" of his apostleship. The margin tells us
that an alternative reading of this word is "certification". We can liken
this type of seal to a notary seal - the Corinthians themselves were his
certification, they were his proof, they were his credentials (if you will)
that he was an apostle. It was by the fruits he produced and the things he
suffered that he gained the moral authority to be recognized as an apostle.

The conclusion of the matter for you and me is this: Those who would be servants
have no right to expect a life of privilege. They will sacrifice more and
suffer worse than those whom they serve. Indeed this is what made Christianity
attractive throughout the centuries. If one is willing to die for one's beliefs,
maybe there is something to this Jesus stuff after all!    
Lenny C.

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Poet's Corner

[Used by Permission. Excerpt from an email: "Hello Pastor, I trust
you will enjoy this Good Word!  Reprint it if you want to use it." ~
Peter Enns]

  The Lord Of The Sabbath

God hallowed the day, and He called it blessed.

A day to remember, to worship and rest.

At the time of creation, when God made man,

One day in seven, was part of God’s plan,

That’s why God gave us the Sabbath.

The Sabbath begins at dusk Friday night.

Twenty four hours of joy and delight!

He takes our worry and He takes our care.

He is waiting to meet us in our time for prayer.

When we delight in His Sabbath.

It’s our love for the Lord and because it is good,

We honor the Sabbath the way that we should.

Walking by faith, in word and in deed,

In six days of work, He supplies all our need.

Because He’s the Lord of the Sabbath. 

From: A Good Word Peter Enns
©2003

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Prayer Requests

[To our readers: If you send in a prayer request please
try to send updates for those who pray as you receive them. Thank
you.]

[We pass along this prayer request sent by Sam &
Faye Stamper in Imlay, Mi]

I would like to request prayer for one of my small cousins. She is 15 months
old and she is in the hospital with the flu. She is in critical condition.
Her name is Grace Chandler. She is at  Duke University in Durham NC.
Thanks so much and could you pass this on?  Vickie Gibson
[12/26/03]

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"Worship The Lord Of The Sabbath"

Love to you all in Christ Jesus ~ Kenneth M. Hoeck

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