Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday in Lent

This report covers both Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday in Lent.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday services were held at Victoria Chapel. With very nice weather sunny in the morning and dark (what a surprise!) at night, the 0930 (9:30am) service drew ten people; the 1830 (6:30pm) service did almost as well with nine people in attendance. Due to the large numbers of people, the services were held in the dining room of Victoria House.

Why Ashes on Ash Wednesday?
Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. It was for Him a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation. By observing Lent, most Christians join Jesus on His retreat.

The Lenten period is calculated to extend from Resurrection Sunday back for forty days, not including Sundays. Sundays are not included because they commemorate Christ's glorious resurrection on "the day after the Sabbath," "the first day of the week," "the Lord's day." Sunday is always a joyful celebration of the Resurrection. Therefore, the first day of Lent in the western Church is always a Wednesday.

Biblical societies relied very heavily on wood fires for heating and cooking, which meant that keeping ashes under control was a major housekeeping task. Then as now, if a person was preoccupied with something serious, they didn’t always tend to the housekeeping—it’s the least of their concerns. Imagine that there is a death in the family. A friend stopping by to pay their respects might gently say, “Did you know you have ashes on your face? ”

So ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance, and mourning. Today someone might wear a black armband to signify that they are in mourning; back then people put ashes on their foreheads.

You can find biblical examples of this in 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1-3, Job 42:6, and Jeremiah 6:26. During Lent, ancient Christians mourned their sins and repented of them, so it was appropriate for them to show their sincerity by having ashes on their foreheads. The custom has persisted in the church as secular society has changed around us. It is most appropriate on Ash Wednesday, when we begin a period of sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection.

Traditionally, the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service come from burning the palm fronds from the previous years’ Palm Sunday celebration and are like sour dough starter kept for centuries.

Ash Wednesday should remind Christians that they are sinners in need of a savior, and that their salvation comes at the sacrifice of God's Son:

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-12)

Some people only celebrate the happy times in Jesus’ life: Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas. True friends also watch and pray with Him on Maundy Thursday, stand by Him at the cross on Good Friday, and go with Him into the wilderness during Lent.

Lent
The word Lent has an obscure origin, and is probably a corruption of Lencten, or a similar term in ancient Anglo, Saxon, and Germanic languages, all of which referred to spring, new life, and hope. Although it is generally considered to be a time of mourning and repentance, it is also designated as a time of new life and hope because by means of the death of Christ, we receive new life.

Many avoid Lent and Holy Week because it isn’t a happy and uplifting time—but to be honest, neither is most of life. Sometimes we come to church all scrubbed up, dressed nicely, with smiles on our faces, and when people ask how we are, we reply that everything is fine and we even boast how wonderful things are—but is it? Life is not always uplifting, or wonderful, or pleasant, or joyous. To claim it is, is to miss the whole point of the incarnation! God became flesh in Jesus Christ. Jesus faced temptation, He suffered hunger and thirst, He suffered the agony of crucifixion. Jesus our God did not face these things so that we would be exempt from them, He faced these things so that we would have dignity in them.

The forty days commemorate the significant "forty" periods in Scripture (although forty is not always significant), including the forty years the Jews wandered in the desert after they had been rescued by God from Egypt, and which did not end until they repented. Jonah preached to Nineveh that God's judgment would come on them in forty days. During that time the people repented and thus were spared God's judgment. Jesus was tested by the Devil in the desert for forty days before He began His public ministry, announcing salvation to the repentant and judgment to those who continued to rebel against God. Jesus prophesied that God's judgment would come against Israel for rejecting Him as Messiah within the time of His own generation (Matt. 24; Luke 21; Mark 13). Within forty years of His death, burial, and resurrection, Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple was so ravaged that "not one stone [was] left here upon another" (Matt. 24:2). The Jewish Christians, however, escaped this judgment of God by fleeing to Pella before the final Roman siege, just as Jesus had warned them to do (Matt. 24:16-21).

During Lent, Christians should contemplate their sinfulness, repent, ask God's forgiveness, and realize the infinite sacrifice God made on their behalf. It is to be a time of quiet contemplation, but not a time of despair, since it culminates in the commemoration of the resurrection. Traditionally, those who are joining the church spend this period in special instruction regarding Christian doctrine, practice, and responsibility. Historically, prospective members ("catechumens") did not participate in the Lord's Supper portion of the Sunday services until they were received into full membership on the Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord. For them, this first experience of Ash Wednesday and Lent has special significance as God's eternal plan of salvation is applied to them personally.

When Jesus taught us how to pray, He didn’t say, “If you elect to pray, do it this way…” and when He taught about fasting, He didn’t say, “If you elect to fast, do it this way…”

He said, when you pray, don’t do it for show like the hypocrites do. It’s a conversation between you and God. And He gave us the Lord’s Prayer as an example of what we should pray about:

Address God
“Our Father, who art…”
Submit to God’s will
“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…”
Ask for your physical needs
“Give us this day our daily bread…”
Ask for forgiveness
“Forgive us our trespasses…”
To the degree that you yourself are willing to forgive…
“As we forgive our trespassers…”
Ask for help with temptations
“Lead us not into temptation…”
And preservation from evil
“Deliver us from evil…”

Similarly, Jesus told us that when we fast (not if) we are not to make a show of it, like hypocrites do. A fast is different from a hunger strike: a fast is a personal act of devotion to God, while a hunger strike is a public act most often used to shine a spotlight on injustice. A fast is also different from anorexia nervosa: it is disciplined diet, not total abstention from food. During a religious fast, you still eat, you just abstain from certain foodstuffs. Traditionally, people have fasted by eliminating luxury items from their diets, such as meats. A fast can consist of eating whatever you want, but drinking only water.

More positively, you can fast in other areas beyond food, you can commit to a something that can benefit the church, such cutting back in an entertainment area, using that time for Bible study and donating the savings to the church.

On Palm Sunday, there were crowds who cheered Jesus as the King, but where were all those fair-weather friends when Jesus prayed in agony on Gethsemane, and where were they when He hung upon the cross? Let us be bold to join Him, fasting in the wilderness for forty days during Lent; let us be bold to pray with Him in the garden on Maundy Thursday, let us fearlessly stand at the foot of His cross on Good Friday, so that we may witness His Resurrection and His Ascension, and join in His triumphant reign.

The Epistle for Ash Wednesday’s evening service was read by Greg Chase and came from the Old Testament’s Book of Joel, the Second Chapter, beginning at the Twelfth Verse, With a New Testament approach, Joel writes, “Turn ye even to me, saith the LORD, with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?”

The Gospel for Ash Wednesday begins in the Sixteenth Verse of the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, where Jesus tells us how to fast, “When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” This is a familiar theme, we are constantly told to do what is good and what is right and not seek credit amongst man, for man easily impressed and easily corrupted. It is not man we should look to for praise, but rather God. Do what is right and what is needed and do not worry about who gets credit for it. Jesus goes on to tell us that we should consider what is important and put that first, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”


The First Sunday in Lent

Today was the First Sunday in Lent. After snow earlier in the week, the weather was superb, a beautiful clear blue sky before church with temperatures about 65°F; by the time church ended temperatures climbed to about 74°F and there were light cirrostratus clouds. Even with a number of people sick and on travel, we ended up with 24 attendees.

Father Acker’s Pre-Service Class - Around the Bible in 70 Days, soon to stretch out to 140 days by popular demand
Today was the third in a ten week tour of the Bible, 10 minutes of teaching each Sunday, beginning at 8:30am. As everyone who was there can attest to, this morning’s class was 26 minutes. It will be back to about 10, but less than 15 minutes next week.

Today’s class covered The Tabernacle and Life Centered around God. Because the Hebrews were a migratory people at the time The Law was given, their “church”, the Tabernacle was designed to be easily transported, erected and disassembled for transport again. The walls were of cloth, held up by poles, each of the “stations” within the walls were more or less self contained units.

The purpose of the Tabernacle was, like our church, a place to interface with God. And, a place to offer unto God appropriate sacrifices to meet His instructions. In the book of Leviticus, we find instruction on what an Israelite is to do if they are in a condition of sin and thus out of fellowship with God. First, in the event they offended a particular person, they are to go to that person and ask their forgiveness and repay whatever harm they did unto them. At that point, they can come to the altar at the Tabernacle and make a sacrifice. The sacrifices are offered again and again. There were five great sacrifices laid out in Leviticus:
 
• “Sweet savor” offerings
o Burnt
o Grain
o Peace
• “Non Sweet savor” offerings
o Sin
o Guilt

 “Sweet savor” offerings, a pleasing smell—Volunteer Barbeque
1.      Burnt offering—whole burnt—cooked to ashes
Praise & gratitude to God—no one eats it
2.      Grain offering—roasting flour or grain—bakery
Gift to God—some burned & some to priests
3.      Peace offering—a shared offering
Thanks to God—shared with the people
“Non Sweet savor” offerings—Non-voluntary offerings
4.      Sin offering—unintentional breaking of the Law
            a. Bringing a Sin offering: a perfect, 1 yr male lamb
                        The most valuable—as they mate to make lots more
            b. Come to the priest
            c. Lay his hands upon the head of the lamb
                        Identifying himself with the animal
            d. Confess his sins
            e. Priest gives him the knife & he opens the vein in the neck, bleeds out & dies—no mistaking it should be me!
            f. Lamb is taken inside, butchered and offered (burnt)
This is a shadow of the greater reality of the coming atonement for sin: In Baptistism, we hear: “The Lamb that takes away the sin of the world…” referring to Jesus.
A sacrifice once for all would come.
5.      Guilt offering—special designation of sin offering when it must accompanied by reparation to the offended party. You can’t make your offering to God without having satisfied the person you wronged.

The Book of Numbers starts about 13 months after the Hebrews left Egypt, the start of their second year. Numbers is a book of counting and naming. According to the enumeration, there were 603,550 males of fighting age, that is to say twenty to fifty years old. Thus the total number of people, women, children and elderly, would likely be around 2,000,000. Numbers deals with the organization of everything, including tribes, clans and families. It lays out who does what, who camps where, what sacrifice is good for what and so on and so forth.

Numbers also covers the 39 years in the wilderness in which the Hebrew slave culture was set aside and the Nation of Israel began to form. None of the men who left Egypt made it through the wilderness to the promised land, except Joshua and Caleb. The rest were left behind and the Nation of Israel came into its own. The Next Generation!

We will learn more next week of this New Generation as it enters in to the Promised Land in the Book of Deuteronomy and Moses tells the New Generation their story, their being God’s people.

Hap Arnold read the Epistle for today, which came from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, starting at the First Verse of the Sixth Chapter. In what at first appears to be an incomprehensible single sentence, Paul asks us to be worthy of the grace that God has given us. He tells the people when they needed him, he was there. They need to be there for those around them. They must not frustrate God’s work by showing up late, or not at all. Those around us are watching our actions in the time of testing. We have been given eternal salvation by Jesus’s sacrifice, the understanding of the Gospel by the Holy Ghost. We are at this time dying here on earth, yet progressing towards eternal life in the next world, in Jesus’ world with His help. While we may never be wealthy here on earth, our actions can make our fellow Christians wealthy in spirit beyond measure. If you claim to be a Christian, you know what is right. If you are a Christian, you do what is right, you don’t take a vote to see what the right course of action might be. Right does not change with public opinion and we must do the right thing. It is our actions that count, in good times or bad. We are Christ’s ambassadors to this world, unfortunately we do not have diplomatic immunity.

WE then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain; (for he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation;) giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

This morning’s Gospel comes from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, starting at the First Verse of the Fourth Chapter. This portion of the Gospel tells the story of the temptation of Christ. In many respects, it shows how little the devil understands of Christ, and through Him, of us. If you understand how little the devil really offers you and how much Christ offers, the temptation is ever so much less.

WHEN was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Sermon - Temptation or Simple Attempted Bribery?
In today’s Gospel, Saint Matthew recounts Satan’s attempt at tempting the Lord. The temptations he tried were no real temptation to a perfect man. The Lord being perfect, saw through the hollow promises. His perfection made His hunger for food no less real than it would have been for each of us, if anything His perfection made His hunger more real. Yet, Jesus rejected the offer of food, saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” When that did not work, the devil twisted scripture, telling Him to demonstrate His status as the Son of God. With no thought of listening to the devil for scriptural advice, “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Then, to Him who was present at the beginning, the devil offered Him the world, the world He created. To that, the line that should be in all our hearts was the response, “Get thee hence, Satan!”

These temptations are nor more and no less than the same temptations of this world that we are all find ourselves subject to:

• Physical
• Spiritual
• Worldly

Physical—the flesh, here food—false satisfaction
. Good things of this world are just copies of True, what CS Lewis calls the Shadowlands: The Law is a shadow of the order of heaven, the earth a mere shadow of life in heaven.

Spiritual—We all want to pick and choose to get our own way
; to use religion to get what we want
; to place ourselves at the center of the altar.

Worldly—We all want to control the people and events around us
: Home, School, Work, and our Bank Account.

To counter these temptations, we find the fundamental actions in the spiritual life of Jews:

• Doing alms
• Prayer
• Fasting

Alms—combat the world—Give freely of what you have, don’t be possessed, Give your first fruits to glorify God.

Prayer—combat the devil—Put God at the center of everything, setting your hopes & desires before God for his answer; listening for His voice.

Fasting—combat our “internal desire”, surrender your desires & wants to God allowing Him to satisfy that emptiness and brokenness of your lives.

You Can Grow Spiritually. You can fight the good fight.

Birthdays and Anniversaries
There were no reported birthdays, but we celebrated Fran and Walt Dexter’s 27th wedding anniversary today.

After Church Hospitality
Martha Stevens brought the snacks today, with Valentine’s Day coming up this week, the theme was pink and red, the snacks were special. There was cherry pie, the red, there were little chocolate hearts, the pink, as well as red flame seedless grapes, both red and pink, then the best of all French vanilla roll tacos.

Ben Lizak brewed today and Father Acker managed to get up early enough to make his famous low carb lemonade. Thanks to both.

New Nametags
We had no new nametags today.

People in our Prayers
If you are on our prayer list, or you have submitted a person for us to pray for, please update Father Acker in person, by telephone or e-mail. It helps to be able to pray specifically for these individuals including their specific needs; plus if they get better, it is good to give thanks!

Please note that on the green cards at church, you can ask that those to be prayed for have their names disseminated to the “prayer team”, those names will be said in church and appear here. Or, your can ask that the names and purpose be kept confidential, then only Father Acker will know to pray for them.

Travel
Ken is on travel this week.
Tim and Jan are on travel this week.

Sick or in need of healing

Healing
Annie, Salvador (cancer), Betty, Marge, Kathy, Richard, Christian, Trish, Marie, Wanda, Karen, Sarah, Lois, Jennette, Linn, Gary, Delores, Anna, Ruth, Theresa, Melanie, Connie, Tom, Crystal, Thomas, Hadley, Diane, Norm, Gregory, Betty, Terri, Mary, Edward, Bert, Jesusa (difficult pregnancy), Michele, Marybeth (broken foot), Kevin, Bruce, Susanne, Jack

Guidance
Christiana, Alexander, Katie & family (death of a child), Breyana, Vie, Asha, Cory, Heather, Holly, Ken, Maruja, Stella, Shelly, William, Joe, Alexander, Jonathan, Phil, Sandy, Larraine, Brad, Brian, Cindi, Uni, Jennifer, Greg, Rick, Carol, Susan, Curtis, Stephen, Chris, Andrew, Keith

Homebound/Aged and Infirm
Mary, Donna, Betty, Noko, Adelaide, Evelyn, Lorraine, Ellie

Armed Forces & Contractors
Tillman, Patrick, Justin, Tim, Evan, Jim, Jason, JR, Matt, Phillip

Departed
Malcom

Back Door Lending Library
We have some new Amazing Grace books of several flavors, in addition, there are still several sets of the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, as well as some background books on the series. There are plenty of sets, so don’t be shy. There are also Annotated Holy Communion Books. These books have the Prayer Book Holy Communion service on the left page and an explanation on the right page. They are a great way to learn about the service. Pick one up when you come in and use it for the service, if you like.

Personal 1928 Books of Common Prayer & Bibles
During his many travels and general rooting around, your Beadle has come across some very nice personal 1928 Prayer Books, including a couple with Hymnals attached and leather bound Bibles. If you would like one, please contact him directly.

Question that only you can ask
What would you like to know about our history, what we believe, what we do or how we operate? Father Acker is looking for material for the continuing education class and the Beadle is looking for Thought for the Day material. Help us help you. Please send your question to the Beadle so we all can get an answer. Just because you don’t know the answer to your question doesn’t mean you are the only one who doesn’t know. But, if you don’t ask, no one will know.

I’d like to get a different point across or announce something
If you have a different point of view, I would be happy to give you room to get your point across. While this publication is my perspective on events, I recognize not everyone may agree and that some people would like to express their own opinion.

If want to write an article or make an announcement, please forward your item to the Beadle (with a note as to whether or not you would like editing help) to the following address: thebeadle@mac.com.

Free Teen Guitar Class (FTGC – www.freeteenguitarclass.com)
The Free Teen Guitar Class is underway on Wednesdays with new times:

New Beginning Class 3:00-3:45pm String 1 and very basics.
Continuing Book Class 3:45-4:30pm We are doing pages 38 & 39 Key of G.
Techniques Class 4:30-5:15pm Starting improvisation on Ionian scale & rhythm part for Surfing with the Alien.

All classes are open to new students. You might know someone who already plays some and wants to join in. If you know someone who wants to play and does not have a guitar, we have a few loaner beginner guitars. If you haven’t done so, have a look at our website: http://www.freeteenguitarclass.com. I think you will like it.

Email me if you want a new FTGC Flyer! frkeitha@alpineanglican.com

The next performance opportunity is March 3rd.
- Father Ironhand

Epistle Readers
We post the list of Epistle Readers in the Beadle’s Report each week so you can either plan your attendance or your pre-reading as the spirit so moves you.

Date Reader

17 February 2008 Jack Arnold
24 February 2008 Alice Acker

The near future, as well as Next Sunday
Next Sunday is the Second Sunday in Lent.

Pre-Service Class
Next Sunday will also be the fifth Sunday in Father Acker’s new pre-service class series, Around the Bible in 70 Days, a ten week tour of the Bible, 10 minutes of teaching that begins at 8:30am on Sundays. The class provides an overview of the entire bible. This is the forest view for those feeling lost among the trees. Actually it a good reminder on the overall story and our reading it as God’s story.

The 10 minute teaching series begins at 8:30am each Sunday! This is an excellent opportunity to bring a friend who would like to know more about the Bible and Christianity.
 
Lenten Book Study
Each Wednesday in Lent, we will be meeting at 1815 (6:15pm) at the SCAIR Center in Alpine to discuss the book The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis.

Evening Prayer 1815 (6:15 pm)
Soup Dinner Starts 1830 (6:30 pm)
Discussion Starts 1915 (7:15 pm)
Discussion Ends 2000 (8:00 pm)

In his 1961 preface to Screwtape, Lewis wrote that his purpose in writing these letters "was not to speculate about diabolical life but to throw light from a new angle on the life of men." The book makes some uncomfortable, viewing life from the devil’s point of view. A devil’s advocate so to speak. If it makes you uncomfortable, you are not alone, Lewis said of writing Screwtape: "Though I had never written anything more easily, I never wrote with less enjoyment." Lewis explained the reason as follows: "The work into which I had to project myself while I spoke through Screwtape was all dust, grit, thirst, and itch. Every trace of beauty, freshness, and geniality had to be excluded."

“We must picture Hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment.”
Preface to the 1961 edition of "The Screwape Letters" by C. S. Lewis

The fresh look at how the devil works combined with the fact that Lewis shows us human temptations from a different angle, the inverted world of Screwtape, makes for fun reading and good spiritual nourishment as well. Of course, one has to turn the book upside down in order to get the nourishment, but the extra effort is worth it.

The original preface:
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS

To J.R.R. Tolkien

"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn."—Luther

"The devill . . the prowde spirite . . cannot endure to be mocked."—Thomas More

PREFACE
I HAVE no intention of explaining how the correspondence which I now offer to the public fell into my hands.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight. The sort of script which is used in this book can be very easily obtained by anyone who has once learned the knack; but disposed or excitable people who might make a bad use of it shall not learn it from me.

Readers are advised to remember that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle. I have made no attempt to identify any of the human beings mentioned in the letters; but I think it very unlikely that the portraits, say, of Fr. Spike or the patient's mother, are wholly just. There is wishful thinking in Hell as well as on Earth.

In conclusion, I ought to add that no effort has been made to clear up the chronology of the letters. Number XVII appears to have been composed before rationing became serious; but in general the diabolical method of dating seems to bear no relation to terrestrial time and I have not attempted to reproduce it. The history of the European War, except in so far as it happens now and then to impinge upon the spiritual condition of one human being, was obviously of no interest to Screwtape.
C. S. LEWIS
MAGDALEN COLLEGE
July 5, 1941

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS

Chapter Topics from the Devil’s point of view
• Preventing Conversion
• The Church
• The Family
• Prayer
• The War
• War & Fear
• Extremes
• The Law of Undulation
• Temptation in Trough Periods
• Acquaintances
• Laughter
• The Safest Road to Hell
• Repentance
• Humility
• Time
• Attending the Parish Church
• Gluttony
• Sexual Temptation, Marriage & Family
• God's Love and Being "In Love"
• Sexual Temptation, Continued
• Ownership
• "Losing in Love"
• Theology, Politics & "The Historical Jesus"
• The Christian "Inner Ring"
• Change
• Unselfishness
• Prayer, Free Will & Old Books
• Life & Death
• Cowardice & Courage
• Reality

Doubt not: this study will be entertaining, the food great, and when you are done, you will feel far more comfortable and be far more strong in your Christian beliefs. If you have not ordered your copy, either call Father Acker or scrounge in the Lending Library (there are some there).

See you next week on Sunday!

Father Acker posts a .pdf version of the current Beadle’s Report on the church website:

http://alpineanglican.com/BeadleReports.htm

An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report a single photograph and simple text is available at:
http://thebeadle.blogspot.com/

or with one photograph per issue and colorful text at

http://web.mac.com/thebeadle/iWeb/BeadleBlog/Blog/Blog.html

All back issues of the Beadle’s Reports are available on request from:

thebeadle@mac.com