Dr. Rev. W. A. Amerson

Senior Pastor - Dueber U. M. Church
February 1966 - July 1983

Sunday, September 28, 2008 —

MUCH LOVE!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Monday, September 29, 2008 —

MEN DON'T LIKE CROSSES!  THEY NEVER DID!  MOSES PRONOUNCED GOD'S CURSE UPON THOSE WHO WERE HANGED ON A TREE (CROSS) — DEUTERONOMY 21:23.  EVEN IN THE CHURCH TODAY — VERY OFTEN THE CROSS BECOMES REPUGNANT AND UNDESIRABLE!

"OLD WESLEY CHAPEL CHURCH, WEST SECOND AND MARKET STREET,  IN NEW ALBANY" REMAINS A LEGEND TO MANY OF US!   I REMEMBER IT STILL  — THE COMMODIOUS SANCTUARY WITH ITS HIGH VAULTED CEILING AND THE LARGE BALCONY, THE BEAUTIFUL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AND THE MAGNIFICENT PIPE ORGAN!  "GOD IS LOVE!"  SUCH MESSAGE IN GOLD LEAF MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT JUST ABOVE THE  BEAUTIFUL ORGAN PIPES — AND A LIGHTED CROSS ALWAYS ILLUMINATED THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT!

THAT CROSS!  ONE OF OUR GOOD MEN WAS TROUBLED BY THAT CROSS — AND HE CAME TO ME WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT WE TAKE THE CROSS DOWN AND STORE IT IN  THE BASEMENT OF THE CHURCH!  SUCH IS THE PATTERN IN MANY CHURCHES TODAY — TO RELEGATE THE CROSS TO THE CHURCH BASEMENT!  MAYBE EVEN "OUT OF SIGHT — OUT OF MIND!"  BUT WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT CROSS AND ITS MESSAGE!

"BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS — I FAIN WOULD TAKE MY STAND —
     THE SHADOW OF A MIGHT ROCK — WITHIN A WEARY LAND —
        A HOME WITHIN THE WILDERNESS — A REST UPON THE WAY —
            FROM THE BURNING OF THE NOON TIDE HEAT —
                AND THE BURDEN OF THE DAY!'
                                                            —— ELIZABETH CLEPHANE

AND THEN I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT ONE OF OUR CHURCHES IN ONE OF OUR SOUTHERN STATES!  THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD WAS SCHEDULED TO MEET THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY EVENING WITH THE MAIN ITEM ON THE BUSINESS AGENDA — TO RESOLVE THE QUESTION:  "SHALL WE INSTALL ROCKING CHAIRS IN OUR SANCTUARY?"   CROSSES AND ROCKING CHAIRS!  JUST WHAT OTHER DYNAMIC MATTERS SHALL WE PUT ON OUR AGENDA AS WE SEEK TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF GOD'S KINGDOM?

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 —

THE ROUTE TO PARADISE!  IT WAS TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1955.  OUR PARTY OF TWENTY PILGRIMS WAS IN HE HEART OF JERUSALEM, ISRAEL!  THE TEMPLE MOUNT WAS INTRIGUING INDEED!  THERE AT THE DOME OF THE ROCK - WE WERE VERY EAGER TO ALSO SLIP INTO THE EL ASKA MOSQUE.  WE PASSED THE FOUNT OF ABLUTION WHERE THE MOSLEM WORSHIPPERS WOULD STOP, REMOVE THEIR SHOES, WASH THEIR FEET THOROUGHLY, THEN THEIR FACE AND THEIR NECK AND THEIR HANDS — AND THEN THEY WOULD ENTER THAT HALLOWED SHRINE.  AS VISITORS, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO SLIP ON SOME LARGE CANVASS SANDALS.  OUR GUIDE ADVISED US THAT THIS HUGE SHRINE WILL ACCOMODATE UPWARDS OF FIVE THOUSAND WORSHIPPERS. 

THE DOME AND THE ROOF ARE SUPPORTED BY 81 GIGANTIC PILLARS — SOME OF MARBLE AND OTHERS OF ROSE-COLORED LIMESTONE!   WORSHIPPERS WERE KNEELING HERE AND THERE IN QUIET MEDITATION — SOME STRETCHING THEMSELVES ON THEIR FACES TO THE CARPETED FLOOR.  AND THEN WE APPROACHED TWO PILLARS, WHICH FORMED A VERY NARROW PASSAGE WAY.   OUR CHRISTIAN GUIDE WHISPERED TO US THAT THIS IS CALLED "THE ROUTE TO PARADISE!" — WITH THE CONCEPT THAT EVERY MOSLEM WHO SLIPS THROUGHN THIS NARROW PASSAGE WAY MAY ACCEPT POSITIVE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION!  THE SPACE WAS VERY NARROW — AND I NOTED THAT THE AVOIRDUPOIS OF MANY OF THEM WOULD MAKE IT QUITE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ACCOMODATE THIS REMARKABLE FEAT!

I LINGERED BEHIND MOMENTARILY, REALIZING THAT I HAD LOST SEVERAL POUNDS ON THE EXTENDED SIX-WEEK STUDY TOUR — AND YES, I SQUIRMED MY WAY THROUGH "THE ROUTE TO PARADISE!"  IF I WERE SUPERSTITUOUS, I MIGHT GAIN SOME SATISFACTION FROM THIS SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT.  BUT I GREATLY PREFER THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL MESSAGE, WHICH DIRECTS ME TO THE FOOT OFTHE, CROSS WITH REPENTANCE AND FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!  SURELY THIS IS NOT VAIN SUPERSTITION!   THIS IS THE GLORIOUS PLAN OF SALVATION, WHICH ALMIGHTY GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR A LOST RACE OF MANKIND!  AND "I AM SO VERY GLAD THAT I'VE LEARNED TO TRUST THEE — PRECIOUS JESUS, SAVIOR, FRIEND — AND I KNOW THAT THOU ART WITH ME — AND WILL BE WITH ME TO THE END!"

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Wednesday, October 1, 2008 —

I AM TOLD THAT A MAGNIFICENT PLAQUE IS ON THE PORTAL OF THE ALLIED CEMETERY IN NORTH ASSAM WHERE LIE THE BODIES OF MANY OF OUR AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN INDIA AND BURMA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.  THE CAPTION READS:  "TELL THEM THAT WE GAVE OUR TODAYS FOR THEIR TOMORROWS!"

HOW MEMORABLE AND PRECIOUS IS THAT NOTATION!  A SIMILAR MEMORIAL TODAY MIGHT WELL GRACE THE GATEWAY INTO THE NATION OF IRAQ!  HUNDREDS OF OUR BRAVE MILITARY PERSONNEL HAVE LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR YOU AND ME!  SURELY WE ARE INDEBTED TO THEM!  AND WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE CESSATION OF VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM — AND THAT ERE LONG WE SHALL SEE PEACE AND GOODWILL ACROSS THE NATIONS OF OUR TROUBLED AND DISTRESSED WORLD!

REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Thursday, October 2, 2008 —

In my early pastoral career, it was my good privilege to sit at the feet of Dr. Harry Denman on various occasions.  He was the General Secretary of the Board of Evangelism of the Methodist Church — and a saintly and godly man he was!  Humble and gracious and kind, he traveled with two airline bags.  One was for toilet articles and an extra shirt and socks and underwear —  the other  was for his Bible and  necessary items for his correspondence.  Many times people would give him clothing — but he would quickly give such away.  He always insisted, "WHY SHOULD I HAVE TWO COATS WHEN SOME MEN HAVE NONE?"  HE GAVE AWAY EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD — AND THAT INCLUDED HIS FAITH IN GOD!


DR. DENMAN was a bachelor — ever so gracious and always sharing testimonies of his faith in Almighty God!  He reminded me of  Enoch who "walked with God — and he was not for God took him!"    Gen. 5: 24

A little boy in Sunday School learned the lesson so well.  HE explained it to his Mother and Daddy:  "ENOCH LIKED TO GO FOR LONG WALKS WITH GOD!  ONE DAY THEY WALKED DOWN THE ROAD AND ACROSS THE FIELDS — CLIMBED OVER THE FENCES, FORDED THE STREAMS AND CLIMBED THE STEEP MOUNTAINS — AND THEN THEY NOTED THAT THE SUN WAS NEARLY READY TO SET.  ENOCH TURNED TO GOD AND WHISPERED, "HEAVENLY FATHER — IT'S GETTING LATE!  THE NIGHT WILL COME SOON — AND THEN IT WILL BE DARK!  I MUST HURRY BACK TO MY HOUSE!"  BUT GOD SAID, "NO, MY CHILD — YOU ARE CLOSER TO MY HOUSE THAN TO YOURS!  JUST COME — AND GO HOME WITH ME!  AND ENOCH WENT ON HOME TO GOD'S HOUSE!"  I LIKE THAT STORY!  I WANT IT TO BE MY STORY TOO!
REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Friday, October 3, 2008 —

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE said it:  "BLOW, BLOW — THOU WINTRY WIND — THOU ART NOT HALF SO UNKIND AS MAN'S INGRATITUDE!"  SURELY EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD GUARD AGAINST INGRATITUDE!

The late Senator Alben W. Barkley, who later served as Vice President under President Harry Truman (1949-53), was a noted statesman and marvelous story teller.  Quite frequently he would tell the story about a certain man whom he had helped many times and on various occasions.  When the election time came, he voted for his benefactor's opponent.  A few days after the election, Mr. Barkley met him and said, "I CAME TO SEE YOU IN  THE HOSPITAL IN FRANCE WHEN YOU WERE WOUNDED IN THE WAR — I GOT YOUR VETERAN'S CLAIM STRAIGHTENED OUT — I SECURED YOU WITH A JOB AS A POSTMASTER — I ASSISTED YOUR SON IN RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP SO THAT HE COULD ATTEND COLLEGE!  YET NOW YOU HAVE TURNED AGAINST ME!"

THE OLD MAN DRAWLED WITH SELF-JUSTIFICATION, "YES, SENATOR — BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?"

Many times we become unmindful of the sheer grace of a loving God — we forget about His love and mercy — and we seek to justify ourselves with that surly attitude, "BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?"  WE ARE SO VERY PRONE TO  FORGET THE KINDNESS OF A FRIEND AND THE LOVING BENEDICTIONS OF OUR MERCIFUL GOD!

It was a sad day when the elderly Ralph Waldo Emerson, his mind almost gone, stood by the casket of his life-long friend, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and mused, "THE FACE IS FAMILIAR — BUT I CANNOT CALL YOUR NAME!"  And indeed, it is even sadder when wretched mankind forgets a loving and beneficent God!
REJOICING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com

Saturday, October 4, 2008 —

MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON US AND HELP US TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR PROMISES TO HIM!

MUCH LOVE!

W. A. Amerson, wavamerson @ aol.com