# Stonewall Jackson's Birthday



## Reformed Covenanter

Confederate supporters should note that today is the birthday of Stonewall Jackson. Even many years after his death, Christians still rise up and call him blessed.


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## Blueridge Believer

I wimped out and missed the parade in Lexington this year because of the inclimate weather.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Blueridge Baptist said:


> I wimped out and missed the parade in Lexington this year because of the inclimate weather.



The weather has been pretty dreadful over here as well.


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## MrMerlin777

Where I'm living this isn't even mentioned.

I'm a Virginian by birth though. In my humble opinion Stonewall Jackson was a great leader.


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## Southern Presbyterian

A very godly man indeed!

James,

Maybe we can attend the parade next year together and even make a family event of it.


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## Blueridge Believer

Southern Presbyterian said:


> A very godly man indeed!
> 
> James,
> 
> Maybe we can attend the parade next year together and even make a family event of it.




Absolutely! It's quite an affair. It starts at Jackson's grave and ends with a service at the Lee chapel.


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## KenPierce

Lexington is Confederate Heaven!

Forget that qualifier, Lexington is pretty close to heaven, period!


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## VirginiaHuguenot

KenPierce said:


> Lexington is Confederate Heaven!
> 
> Forget that qualifier, Lexington is pretty close to heaven, period!





Stonewall Jackson, Letter to his sister, September 7, 1852:



> I have for months back admired Lexington, but now for the first time have truly and fully appreciated it. Of all the places which have come under my observation in the United States, this little village is the most beautiful.


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## Sonoftheday

I still find it strange that so many Reformed believers consider the leaders of the Confederacy as Godly individuals. I am not denying that they were, but I was raised being taught that the Confederate folks were a bunch of racist demons and Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president ever. I am completely ignorant of history, having slept through jr. high, highschool, and even college History classes, and am now curious as to some good books that cover the history of the Civil War. (by good books I mean not only accurate, but short, while still being informative, so I dont fall asleep like I done so many times in class)


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## DMcFadden

Out here in gay paradise, "Stonewall" is only used to reference the 1969 incident in New York City between the police and the gay/transgender folks. It is still hailed as the landmark event in GLBT civil rights history (kindof a gay Rosa Parks thing). I doubt that high school students have heard the name Stonewall in ANY other context in California.

Bryan, you might see the movie "Gods and Generals" (or read the book). It deals with his Godly integrity in some detail. If you are into real reading, I would encourage you to read Dabney (yes the theologian) or one of these other books . . .

Addey, Markfield, Stonewall Jackson: Life and Military Career (New York, 1863) 
Chambers, Lenoir, Stonewall Jackson (Two Volumes, New York, 1959) 
Cooke, J. E., Stonewall Jackson: A Military Biography (New York, 1876) 
*Dabney, R. L., Life of General T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson (New York, 1866) *
Jackson, M. A. M., Memoirs (Louisville, 1895) 
McGuire and Christian, Confederate Cause and Conduct in the War between the States (Richmond, 1907) 
White, H. A., Stonewall Jackson (Philadelphia, 1909) 
Wilkins, J. Steven, All Things for Good: The Steadfast Fidelity of Stonewall Jackson, Cumberland House Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1-58182-225-1. 
Williamson, M. L., Life of General Thomas F. [sic] Jackson (Richmond, 1901)


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## Semper Fidelis

I like Stonewall. He's not quite the military genius that many make him out to be but he was certainly a great man.


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## No Longer A Libertine

SemperFideles said:


> I like Stonewall. He's *not quite the military genius* that many make him out to be but he was certainly a great man.


How so? Erwin Rommel credited his desert tactics and ultimately the blitzkrieg on Jackson's daring raids and tactics.

George Patton, Norman Schwartzkopf and David Petreaus have all sited his influence in their own strategy.


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## Semper Fidelis

I didn't say that Jackson wasn't daring. I just think his military genius is a bit over-stated.

People are allowed their opinions about military history just like anything else.

There is something that many people don't appreciate about the writing of military history surrounding the Civil War and that is that the losing side cared much more about it and also ended up writing much of the military history. There was more than a little bias to the recording of this military history. It's one of the reasons that Sherman is painted like a monster and not given credit for his military genius but Jackson is revered as if he never made any mistakes.

Northern Generals have been generally painted as weak and only won because of their superior numbers and industrial base. The truth of Gettysburg, for instance, is that Lee was out-Generalled by Meade and Pickett's charge should be named Lee's charge.

As I stated, I believe Jackson was a great man and a great leader. His men truly loved him. I also think that part of the reason he died was that he pushed way beyond his culminating point at Chancellorsville.


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## Barnpreacher

It's not about whether one is a Confederate or Union supporter when it comes to a man like Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. His is a faith that should be emulated by all believers.


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## Semper Fidelis

Barnpreacher said:


> It's not about whether one is a Confederate or Union supporter when it comes to a man like Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. His is a faith that should be emulated by all believers.



I agree that he was a man of faith. I kept my comments about his military genius initially brief.

Even as he was a man of faith in Christ and not men, it is a reminder that even our heroes had their faults. I'm merely making a notation because he is an idol in the minds of many Southerners and I'm convinced he would hate this.


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## Semper Fidelis

No Longer A Libertine said:


> SemperFideles said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like Stonewall. He's *not quite the military genius* that many make him out to be but he was certainly a great man.
> 
> 
> 
> How so? Erwin Rommel credited his desert tactics and ultimately the blitzkrieg on Jackson's daring raids and tactics.
Click to expand...

Incidentally, Guderian conceived of the Blitzkrieg and he did not credit Jackson for its conception.


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## Barnpreacher

SemperFideles said:


> Barnpreacher said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's not about whether one is a Confederate or Union supporter when it comes to a man like Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. His is a faith that should be emulated by all believers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I agree that he was a man of faith. I kept my comments about his military genius initially brief.
> 
> Even as he was a man of faith in Christ and not men, it is a reminder that even our heroes had their faults. I'm merely making a notation because he is an idol in the minds of many Southerners and I'm convinced he would hate this.
Click to expand...


I was more responding to the OP where Daniel said Confederate supporters should take note of his birthday. 

I'm actually a Yankee transplant in the South. Although, born in Ohio and raised in New York, I have actually lived down South longer than I have up North at this point in my life. I agree that Stonewall would not want to be an idol in the minds of Southerners. I also think you make some really good points about the Union commanders, who all too often get overlooked for their military genius.


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## Blueridge Believer

Sonoftheday said:


> I still find it strange that so many Reformed believers consider the leaders of the Confederacy as Godly individuals. I am not denying that they were, but I was raised being taught that the Confederate folks were a bunch of racist demons and Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president ever. I am completely ignorant of history, having slept through jr. high, highschool, and even college History classes, and am now curious as to some good books that cover the history of the Civil War. (by good books I mean not only accurate, but short, while still being informative, so I dont fall asleep like I done so many times in class)




Pick up the book "when in the course of human events" by Charles Adams. It's short and to the point and you can't put it down.


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## MrMerlin777

SemperFideles said:


> ........... he is an idol in the minds of many Southerners and I'm convinced he would hate this.




Speaking as a southerner, I agree, I've quite a few of "the south'll rise again!!" types in my family and the heroes of the south seem more important to them than Christ. I'm convinced that Stonewall himself would find that absolutely repugnant. I think he was a great man personally but still, he was just a man like us all and prone to all of the same weaknesses.


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## RamistThomist

Sonoftheday said:


> I still find it strange that so many Reformed believers consider the leaders of the Confederacy as Godly individuals. I am not denying that they were, but I was raised being taught that the Confederate folks were a bunch of racist demons and Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president ever. I am completely ignorant of history, having slept through jr. high, highschool, and even college History classes, and am now curious as to some good books that cover the history of the Civil War. (by good books I mean not only accurate, but short, while still being informative, so I dont fall asleep like I done so many times in class)



Lincoln was an avowed white-supremacist who despised the Black men, as did most Union troops. Union Gen Sherman even said, "N*ggers and cotton started this war and I wish them both in hell." Not exactly freeing the slaves mindset. 

Anything by Tom DiLorenzo exposes Lincoln's scorn of black people. Go to LewRockwell.com and look for DiLorenzo's articles.


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## Zenas

Fun fact: John Brown was a Calvinist. 

The southern generals were in large godly men, whereas Sherman may have been the devil incarnate from what I have heard. I know, at the very least, both Lee and Jackson were strong Christians. Some of what I have heard quoted from Jackson would almost lead me to believe he was a Calvinist, but I don't know.

As has been pointed out above, Lincoln was no friend of the slaves; he hated them. He saw them as beneath the white man and he wanted them shipped back to Africa A.S.A.P. The war was over money. Cold, hard cash and the Union's "right" to take it from the Southern states. If I am not mistaken, the Yankees were taxing the south 40% of their income. The South had become rich off of cotton, and the North wanted in. Plain and simple. The slaves were a pretext and were used, yet again, by other men to further their own agendas. 

Yours truly, a descendant of Nathan Bedford Forrest.


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## No Longer A Libertine

Zenas said:


> Fun fact: John Brown was a Calvinist.
> 
> The southern generals were in large godly men, whereas Sherman may have been the devil incarnate from what I have heard. I know, at the very least, both Lee and Jackson were strong Christians. S*ome of what I have heard quoted from Jackson would almost lead me to believe he was a Calvinist*, but I don't know.
> 
> As has been pointed out above, Lincoln was no friend of the slaves; he hated them. He saw them as beneath the white man and he wanted them shipped back to Africa A.S.A.P. The war was over money. Cold, hard cash and the Union's "right" to take it from the Southern states. If I am not mistaken, the Yankees were taxing the south 40% of their income. The South had become rich off of cotton, and the North wanted in. Plain and simple. The slaves were a pretext and were used, yet again, by other men to further their own agendas.
> 
> Yours truly, a descendant of Nathan Bedford Forrest.


There is no vagueness to his convictions, he believed in a sovereign God and that grace came through Christ alone.


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## Semper Fidelis

No question that Jackson was a staunch Southern Presbyterian. Dabney even worked for him for a time.


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## DMcFadden

SemperFideles said:


> Dabney even worked for him for a time.



Indeed, he was his biographer too. Now that would have been an interesting army to be a part of with a solid Christian general and a top rate theologian as his chief of staff.

Rich, thanks for the military history insights. As someone outside of the south, I have NEVER been exposed to the fondness for southern heroism. Our schools generally run them down as a much of misguided racists on the wrong side of history. Still, your wider comments about the capability of the northern generals was of much interest.


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## Semper Fidelis

Yeah, one thing you start to learn about military history and theory more is that it's kind of like history in general. Most people know that Lincoln wasn't perfect if you study history while there are the generic "man on the street" things you learn if you kind of grow up in America. It's kind of like that too with military theory and history and even many military folk have a pretty pedestrian understanding of things.

One thing you have to remember about how important our Civil War was that, while we were fighting, Europe was in relative peace for a pretty long time. By the time the war was over we had a massive Army and Europe was really taking notice of us. There really weren't any Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA) out of the Civil War like there were in times past but there were some important lessons about campaigns and large scale armies over large distances that the European powers wouldn't have to face for a while.

In fact there was a cottage industry that sprouted up where European powers would pay former Union and Confederate generals to come over to train their armies or observe their maneuvers.

When WWI broke out, not many developments in military tactics had occurred and the lethality of the weapons made for some really huge losses. I think what many people realized is that there needed to be a way around the trench warfare as the tank had not really been developed until toward the end of the war. The only battles in recent military history that could point to large mobile units were the calvary tactics of the American Civil War so they were studied quite a bit.

Remember, though, that Jackson wasn't in the calvary but he did have an outstanding calvary commander and used his calvary very effectively. I think where he was really interesting (and still is) as a military commander was how daring he was. It's a prized ability among military commanders. He had a well disciplined outfit and he pushed them hard and did some incredibly bold things.

There's sort of a general maxim in military tactics that large risks will yield large rewards but can also lead to large disasters. Jackson escaped a few disasters by the skin of his teeth. When people always commend him as a military commander it is this boldness and daring that they commend and I will never take that away from him. He is the kind of guy you'd want to go into an uncertain situation because the fog and friction of war is not for the feeble of mind.

Nevertheless, there are those that think he was probably at his best at the Division level of command and not a great Corps commander. His subordinate commanders sort of bristled under his leadership because Jackson sometimes really had only one switch and that was _push_. Sometimes, the reality in battle is that you can't always be on the offense and if you press your advantage too far you leave yourself incredibly vulnerable. It's called the culminating point and more than a few have noted that they don't think that Jackson had one. 

To those who take great risks with good soldiers you get great rewards like Jackson did. Thus, as a leader his boldness and daring has been imitated by many. It is worthy of imitation but it's not what I would necessarily characterize as military genius. Jackson was one of those really good generals that knew what worked and did it well. As LtGen Mattis said to his Marines of the 1stMarDiv before OIF I, he wanted the division to excel at the basics. Why? Because the people who do the basics the best in battle win. Jackson is a great example in history of that maxim.


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## Reformed Covenanter

SemperFideles said:


> No question that Jackson was a staunch Southern Presbyterian. Dabney even worked for him for a time.



I once heard that Dabney turned up for battle carrying an umbrella.


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## RamistThomist

Some fun clips:

Excellent speech
YouTube - Gods & Generals Compilation 2

The First Brigade Speech (btw, Gods and Generals copied and pasted Dabney's biography of Jackson regarding this speech)
YouTube - Gods and Generals - The First Brigade

Stonewall is seen in this video
YouTube - Song of the Rebel Irish


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## Reformed Covenanter

The Song of the Rebel Irish was painful to listen to.


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## jaybird0827

Daniel Ritchie said:


> The Song of the Rebel Irish was painful to listen to.


 
From a perspective of living in Northern Ireland, that is understandable.

As one seeing it in the context of the War of Northern Aggression, I can appreciate it.


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## Ivan

Daniel Ritchie said:


> SemperFideles said:
> 
> 
> 
> No question that Jackson was a staunch Southern Presbyterian. Dabney even worked for him for a time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I once heard that Dabney turned up for battle carrying an umbrella.
Click to expand...


Well, it was raining bullets.....

Sorry.....

During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge. 

His name was Thomas Keeling and he was Irish.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Ivan said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SemperFideles said:
> 
> 
> 
> No question that Jackson was a staunch Southern Presbyterian. Dabney even worked for him for a time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I once heard that Dabney turned up for battle carrying an umbrella.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Well, it was raining bullets.....
> 
> Sorry.....
> 
> During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge.
> 
> His name was Thomas Keeling and he was Irish.
Click to expand...


Yes some Irishmen fought for the CSA; John Mitchell, one of the Young Irelanders (who launched a farcical rebellion in 1848), fought for the CSA partly because he believed the North's aggression was inspired by the British.

It would be interesting to see a study of how many Irishmen, and specifically Fenians (who were anti-Catholic Irish Republicans at that time), fought for the CSA.


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## Ivan

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> I once heard that Dabney turned up for battle carrying an umbrella.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, it was raining bullets.....
> 
> Sorry.....
> 
> During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge.
> 
> His name was Thomas Keeling and he was Irish.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes some Irishmen fought for the CSA; John Mitchell, one of the Young Irelanders (who launched a farcical rebellion in 1848), fought for the CSA partly because he believed the North's aggression was inspired by the British.
> 
> It would be interesting to see a study of how many Irishmen, and specifically Fenians (who were anti-Catholic Irish Republicans at that time), fought for the CSA.
Click to expand...


The Keelings arrived in the New World some time around 1650. There is no record of them being Catholic.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Ivan said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, it was raining bullets.....
> 
> Sorry.....
> 
> During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge.
> 
> His name was Thomas Keeling and he was Irish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes some Irishmen fought for the CSA; John Mitchell, one of the Young Irelanders (who launched a farcical rebellion in 1848), fought for the CSA partly because he believed the North's aggression was inspired by the British.
> 
> It would be interesting to see a study of how many Irishmen, and specifically Fenians (who were anti-Catholic Irish Republicans at that time), fought for the CSA.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The Keelings arrived in the New World some time around 1650. There is no record of them being Catholic.
Click to expand...


Where did they live in America?


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## Reformed Covenanter

jaybird0827 said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Song of the Rebel Irish was painful to listen to.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From a perspective of living in Northern Ireland, that is understandable.
> 
> As one seeing it in the context of the War of Northern Aggression, I can appreciate it.
Click to expand...


Don't get me wrong: I would be an Irish Nationalist if all Ireland was Protestant. I also dislike British imperialism, and would prefer an independent NI until the rest of the Island turns from popery; it was the poor singing which I found painful


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## DMcFadden

Ivan said:


> During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge.



Pea Ridge is a great visit for an historically interested family. My wife and I have been there several times with our kids/grandkids. Living in So.Cal. we feel so cut off from the BIG events of American history. Visiting some of these historical sites is a real thrill for me. And, yes, some of my relatives evidently fought on the confederate side too.


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## VirginiaHuguenot

DMcFadden said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> During that war my great-great grandfather was a farmer in Arkansas. The record shows that he was in the Confederate Army and fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pea Ridge is a great visit for an historically interested family. My wife and I have been there several times with our kids/grandkids. Living in So.Cal. we feel so cut off from the BIG events of American history. Visiting some of these historical sites is a real thrill for me. And, yes, some of my relatives evidently fought on the confederate side too.
Click to expand...


Living here in Virginia, you can't hardly spit in any direction without hitting a sign commemorating an event from the War Between the States. But apparently, according to Wikipedia, there were at least 88 battles fought in California too.


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## Pilgrim's Progeny

Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Pilgrim's Progeny said:


> Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.



Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?


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## No Longer A Libertine

My great great great grandfather Phillip Bible Speegle was a Confederate soldier as were many distant relatives of mine that I have little knowledge toward.

What is so fascinating about Phillip Bible Speegle is that the man's stubbornness was an asset and a strength, a rare commodity indeed.

His toes were ambutaed due to frost bite on one of his feet and he continued to march into battle the next day with bandages saturated in blood.

Miraculously his body seemed immune to infection as over the course of the conflict he was shot three times, once in the breast and twice in the femur, he refused surgery which would've meant amputation and was often left for dead in hospital beds.

He did not die, truth is his stubbornness may have saved him from the horrors of the insanitary medical practices of the day.

He lived to be 94 and passed away in 1920!

Sadly his own son was cut in half by a German machine gun in World War I.

He never trusted the Federal Government after the Civil War and demanded to open the casket of his slain son himself upon the return of his body to be sure he wasn't being lied to by Washington.

Supposedly he let go of whatever bitterness he harbored toward Uncle Sam after his dead son was returned to him and buried respectfully.


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## Barnpreacher

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
> 
> 
> 
> Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
Click to expand...


This is a comment made in jest, right?


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## Reformed Covenanter

Barnpreacher said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
> 
> 
> 
> Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> This is a comment made in jest, right?
Click to expand...


 Of course, can't resist a jest - I'm an Ulsterman.


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## Barnpreacher

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Barnpreacher said:
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> Daniel Ritchie said:
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> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
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> 
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> 
> This is a comment made in jest, right?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Of course, can't resist a jest - I'm an Ulsterman.
Click to expand...


 - Wheeew! You made me nervous there, Daniel.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Barnpreacher said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
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> 
> 
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> Barnpreacher said:
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> 
> 
> This is a comment made in jest, right?
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> Of course, can't resist a jest - I'm an Ulsterman.
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> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> - Wheeew! You made me nervous there, Daniel.
Click to expand...


 Why?


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## Barnpreacher

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Barnpreacher said:
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> Daniel Ritchie said:
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> Of course, can't resist a jest - I'm an Ulsterman.
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> - Wheeew! You made me nervous there, Daniel.
> 
> Click to expand...
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> Why?
Click to expand...


DOH! He changed his avatar!  He had a picture of himself up there a few minutes ago! 

Now I know what you were talking about! I thought for a minute there you were really giving this poor fellow a hard time about being a young minister.


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## Reformed Covenanter

Barnpreacher said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
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> 
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> Barnpreacher said:
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> - Wheeew! You made me nervous there, Daniel.
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> Why?
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> Click to expand...
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> 
> DOH! He changed his avatar!  He had a picture of himself up there a few minutes ago!
> 
> Now I know what you were talking about! I thought for a minute there you were really giving this poor fellow a hard time about being a young minister.
Click to expand...


That explains it.  A baby who is still being spoon-fed should not be commenting on these issues; then again, maybe he is a homeschooled genius?


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## Pilgrim's Progeny

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
> 
> 
> 
> Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
Click to expand...


Actually that is my wife holding my youngest son, not my mother holding me. If you are referring to my previous avatar, that is me at age 32, loooking about 22. As far as I know 32 is not too young to be a pastor or somewhat versed in history and able to dialogue.


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## Pilgrim's Progeny

Barnpreacher said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Barnpreacher said:
> 
> 
> 
> - Wheeew! You made me nervous there, Daniel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> DOH! He changed his avatar!  He had a picture of himself up there a few minutes ago!
> 
> Now I know what you were talking about! I thought for a minute there you were really giving this poor fellow a hard time about being a young minister.
Click to expand...


I thought you may have been jesting, but I have been ripped for being young before. Yet, this will pass before I know it. Then thay will be saying I am too old and have lost my mind.


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## Barnpreacher

Pilgrim's Progeny said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
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> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
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> 
> 
> Living just south of Springfield, Illinois I hear and see a lot of Lincoln's praises. I would much rather hear and see the praises of the likes of Stonewall, even if it is a little out of hand at times. The more I read history the more repulsed I am when I read Lincoln's quotes and see his statues in the area. How would you like to be in a place that idolized Lincoln? I would love to be in the South again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Actually that is my wife holding my youngest son, not my mother holding me. If you are referring to my previous avatar, that is me at age 32, loooking about 22. As far as I know 32 is not too young to be a pastor or somewhat versed in history and able to dialogue.
Click to expand...



No, brother, he was not referring to your previous avatar. He was just making a joke pretending that was you in your new avatar. It was I that thought for a moment he was saying something about your previous avatar, and as a fellow 32 year old ordained minister I was ready to come to your defense.


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## Barnpreacher

Pilgrim's Progeny said:


> I thought you may have been jesting, but I have been ripped for being young before. Yet, this will pass before I know it. Then thay will be saying I am too old and have lost my mind.



Brother,

There's no question that a lot people think of ministers as being in their 50's, 60's and 70's.

I struggled with this for quite some time, and yet I shudder to think about how inexperienced and young I was when I took my current church almost 7 years ago. I still have a lot to learn, but there's no question that the experience I have gained in the pastorate can never be diminished. Seminary can teach one a lot of things, but it cannot give that individual the experience to learn how to minister like on the job training.


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## DMcFadden

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> Living here in Virginia, you can't hardly spit in any direction without hitting a sign commemorating an event from the War Between the States. But apparently, according to Wikipedia, there were at least 88 battles fought in California too.



I believe you but have NEVER heard anyone mention that in my 54 years in this state.


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## Pilgrim's Progeny

Barnpreacher said:


> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Judging by your Avatar are you not a bit young to be an ordained pastor, and to comment on such historical issues?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually that is my wife holding my youngest son, not my mother holding me. If you are referring to my previous avatar, that is me at age 32, loooking about 22. As far as I know 32 is not too young to be a pastor or somewhat versed in history and able to dialogue.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> No, brother, he was not referring to your previous avatar. He was just making a joke pretending that was you in your new avatar. It was I that thought for a moment he was saying something about your previous avatar, and as a fellow 32 year old ordained minister I was ready to come to your defense.
Click to expand...



Your avatar makes you look much older than I expected, I have never seen such an old young man.


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## DMcFadden

Pilgrim's Progeny said:


> Barnpreacher said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pilgrim's Progeny said:
> 
> 
> 
> Actually that is my wife holding my youngest son, not my mother holding me. If you are referring to my previous avatar, that is me at age 32, loooking about 22. As far as I know 32 is not too young to be a pastor or somewhat versed in history and able to dialogue.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No, brother, he was not referring to your previous avatar. He was just making a joke pretending that was you in your new avatar. It was I that thought for a moment he was saying something about your previous avatar, and as a fellow 32 year old ordained minister I was ready to come to your defense.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Your avatar makes you look much older than I expected, I have never seen such an old young man.
Click to expand...


Avatar? I thought that was his photograph! And, on the avatar for PGW, I thought that "he" had VERY long hair for an ordained Southern Baptist.


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## Barnpreacher

Randy (Puritan Covenanter) inspired me with his beard, so I decided to just let mine go. Then he went and shaved his off. 

Actually, my avatar is John G. Paton. He's one of the most beloved saints that I have come to know through print.


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## Semper Fidelis

I had a great, great grandfather who served in the Civil War for the Army of the Potomac. Served 30 years in the Army. His wife made a placard for him after he retired as an Ordnance Sergeant. The placard lists the battles he fought in. It's pretty much a list of every major battle of the Civil War.


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