Archive for the ‘Saints of 1950-1959’ Category
Above: The Flag of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo
Image in the Public Domain
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WILLIAM HENRY SHEPPARD, JR. (MARCH 8, 1865-NOVEMBER 25, 1927)
LUCY GANTT SHEPPARD (1867-MAY 27, 1955)
SAMUEL N. LAPSLEY (APRIL 14, 1866-MARCH 26, 1892)
Southern Presbyterian Missionaries to the Congo
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INTRODUCTION
When one surveys the names of presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), one notices that most names are geographical or historical-cultural. In Georgia, where I live, for example, the PC(USA) has five presbyteries. The Flint River Presbytery–named for the Flint River–is in the southwestern part of the state. The Savannah Presbytery is to the east of the Flint River Presbytery. The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta requires no explanation for its name. Northwest of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta sits the Cherokee Presbytery, named after the tribe that used to live there. The Northeast Georgia Presbytery is the other presbytery in the state.
Next door, in Alabama, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has three presbyteries–South Alabama, the Sheppards and Lapsley, and North Alabama.
The Presbytery of the Sheppards and Lapsley? Why not? I will explain in this post.
I have already added two other missionaries to the Congo to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses: An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days. Louise Cecilia Fleming (1862-1899) was a medical missionary. Althea Brown Edmiston (1875-1937) served with the Sheppards.
BEGINNINGS
William Henry Sheppard, Jr., entered the world at Waynesboro, Virginia, on March 8, 1865. His father, William Henry Sheppard, Sr., was a barber. Our saint’s mother, Fannie Francis Martin Sheppard, was a maid and a free person of color. Young William attended local schools worked as a stable hand for a white family. Eventually, he moved to Staunton, Virginia, where he lived with his aunt and worked for a white dentist, S. Homer Henkel.
William matriculated at the Hampton Normal and Industrial School (now Hampton University), Hampton, Virginia, in 1880. There he studied under Booker T. Washington and, with the help of chaplain Hollis B. Frissel, founded a mission in the poor African-American community in nearby Slabtown.
Our saint, having graduated from Hampton in 1883, matriculated at the Tuscaloosa Theological Institute (now Stillman College), Tuscaloosa, Alabama. There he met Lucy Gantt, a student at Talladega College. The couple became engaged to marry in 1886, the year Lucy graduated. William (Class of 1884) worked in a church in Montgomery through 1887.
The engagement was long. In the meantime, the old (Southern) Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) ordained William in 1887. He spent two years as pastor of Zion Presbyterian Church, Atlanta. His dream, however, was to serve as a missionary in Africa. The PCUS policy regarding African-American missionaries required sending a white missionary as a supervisor.
The corresponding white missionary was Samuel N. Lapsley, commissioned with William in 1889. While the two missionaries departed for the Congo Free State, Lucy taught school. She also sang with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee.
Lapsley entered the world at Selma, Alabama, on April 14, 1866. He grew up in the First Presbyterian Church in that city; Lapsley, Sr., was a judge in Selma, as well as an elder in First Presbyterian Church, and eventually the Moderator of the PCUS General Assembly. Lapsley, Sr., had built a church for African Americans in Vine Hill. Samuel served as the Sunday School superintendent of that African-American congregation. He also played the piano and organ there. Samuel, a graduate of The University of Alabama, turned down a promising academic career to become a minister. While a student at McCormick Theological Seminary, he applied for the new PCUS mission field in the Congo, opened in 1889. The field was open, but the laborers were few.
IN THE CONGO
Above: Congo Free State
Image in the Public Domain
Sheppard and Lapsley arrived in the Congo on May 10, 1890. They arrived at their chosen site–Luebo–on April 22. The American Presbyterian Congo Mission had begun. Lapsley handled financial and diplomatic matters. Sheppard learned local languages, preached, hunted for food, and negotiated with local leaders. Lapsley, only 25 years old, died of fever in Leopoldville on March 26, 1892.
The First Presbyterian Church of Selma raised funds for the S. N. Lapsley, a steamer, completed at Richmond, Virginia, in June 1900. This vessel arrived at the American Presbyterian Congo Mission in July 1901. Unfortunately, it sank on November 16, 1903. However, the second S. N. Lapsley, also a steamer, built in Scotland and dedicated on December 15, 1906, served the mission for a quarter of a century.
William, on furlough in the United States in 1893, married Lucy, then teaching in Birmingham, Alabama. Lucy joined her husband as a missionary in the Congo; they served until 1910. Lucy opened the first school in the Presbyterian mission at Ibanche and founded the mission’s first women’s society. She also proved invaluable in the publication of a hymnal, the first book printed in the Tshiluba dialect. Furthermore, Lucy directed the mission’s choir.
During a period when Lucy had returned to the United States, William began a series of extramarital affairs. This matter returned to haunt him after he completed his missionary service.
Above: The Congo Free State, 1905
Image in the Public Domain
William courageously helped to expose the brutality of the Congo Free State, the private colony of King Leopold II of Belgium. The penalty for a man who failed to meet his quota in rubber sap collection was the severing of his right hand. Official discouragement of agriculture led to mass starvation. William, accepting the suggestion of fellow missionary William Morrison that he investigate one incident, photographed partially dismembered bodies, 81 severed hands, and human flesh cooking over a fire while a raider from the Zappo-Zaps boasted. (That tribe committed atrocities on behalf of rubber companies.) William’s article, with photographs, appeared in Morrison’s missionary newspaper, the Kasai Herald, in January 1908. The Kasai Rubber Company sued the two missionaries for libel. With charges against Morrison dropped, William went on trial. Equipped with witnesses and the support of the William Howard Taft Administration, our saint won. The Belgian parliament took control of the Congo.
William also explored the terrain in the Congo. His adventures earned him the nickname “the Black Livingstone.”
BACK IN THE UNITED STATES
William, suffering from Malaria, returned to the United States in 1910. The PCUS, citing affairs, suspended him for fifteen months and revoked his missionary appointment. William founded Grace Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Kentucky, in 1912. He served as its pastor until 1927.
The Sheppards also collected African art; they were some of the first African Americans to do so. Their collection has become the property of the Hampton University Museum.
Willam Henry Sheppard, Jr., aged 62 years, died in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 25, 1927.
Lucy Gantt Sheppard, aged 88 years, died in Louisville on May 27, 1955, after a long illness. Survivors included two children, Wilhemina Sheppard Brown and Max Sheppard.
William’s epitaph is,
He lived for others.
That epitaph also applies to Samuel N. Lapsley and to Lucy.
CONCLUSION
The Presbytery of the Sheppards and Lapsley bears a good and an honorable name. This name indicates lives devoted to the service of Christ–specifically, to people, for the glory of God. That is a standard worth emulating.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 27, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THOMAS GALLAUDET AND HENRY WINTER SYLE, EPISCOPAL PRIESTS AND EDUCATORS OF THE DEAF
THE FEAST OF SAINT AMADEUS OF CLERMONT, FRENCH ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK; AND HIS SON, SAINT AMADEUS OF LAUSANNE, FRENCH-SWISS ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT DOMINIC BARBERI, ROMAN CATHOLIC APOSTLE TO ENGLAND
THE FEAST OF HENRIETTE LUISE VON HAYN, GERMAN MORAVIAN HYMN WRITER
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Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for your servants
William Henry Sheppard, Jr.;
Lucy Gantt Sheppard; and
Samuel N. Lapsley;
whom you called to preach the Gospel to the people of the Congo.
Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom,
that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm 96 or 96:1-7
Acts 1:1-9
Luke 10:1-9
—Adapted from Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 716
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Above: Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado
Image Source = Google Earth
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AUSTIN COLE LOVELACE (MARCH 26, 1919-APRIL 25, 2010)
United Methodist Organist, Composer, Hymn Writer, and Liturgist
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I prefer music. I do not think that entertainment music is appropriate for church. The music should be the servant of the text. And the text has to be of spiritual value.
–Austin C. Lovelace’s critique of contemporary Christian music and worship, in The Denver Post, October 2, 2009
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Austin C. Lovelace comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses: An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via three hymnals and their companion volumes. The hymnals are, in chronological order, The Methodist Hymnal/The Book of Hymns (1966), the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), and The United Methodist Hymnal (1989).
Lovelace became one of the most influential figures in church music in the United States of America in the twentieth century. His influence touched the hymnals of major Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church. Our saint also lectured and made presentations. The title of one lecture was, “Hymns that Jesus Would Not Have Liked.” One such hymn that Lovelace reviewed was, “When the Bells of Hell Go Ting-a-Ling for You and Not for Me.” And our saint, a fan of jazz, hosted Dave Brubeck (and his band) and Duke Ellington (and his orchestra) at services (on separate occasions) at services at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado, while he served as the Minister of Music there (1964-1970).
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Lovelace entered the world at Rutherfordton, North Carolina, on March 26, 1919. Our saint’s parents were Arsola Crawford Lovelace (1889-1956) and Maude Lee White Lovelace (1891-1974). His brother was Marc Hoyle Lovelace (1920-2008). The family was Southern Baptist. Musical training started in childhood; our saint and his brother performed piano duets as boys.
Lovelace made his life in church music, starting in his youth. He graduated with his A.B. degree from High Point College, High Point, North Carolina, in 1939.
The Big Apple beckoned next. Lovelace studied at Union Theological Seminary, New York, New York (M.S.M., 1941). There he fell in love with his page turner, Pauline Palmer (1918-2015). The couple married on May 21, 1941.
Lovelace, who served as a chaplain’s assistant during World War II, resumed academic life. He taught at The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska; Queens College, Charlotte, North Carolina; and Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina; through 1952. He also earned his D.S.M. degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1950. Furthermore, our saint served in congregations in Lincoln, Nebraska; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Lovelace spent 1952-1962 in Evanston, Illinois. He served as the Minister of Music at First Methodist Church and taught at Garrett Theological Seminary. During this time, our saint was the organist at the Second Assembly of the World Council of Churches, Evanston (1954). Lovelace also served as the first President of the National Fellowship of Methodist Musicians (1955-1957). He also wrote Music and Worship in the Church (1960) with William C. Rice.
The Organist and Hymn Playing (First Edition, 1962; Second Edition, 1981) followed.
Above: Christ Church, United Methodist, New York, New York
Image Source = Google Earth
Lovelace returned to New York City in 1962. He served as the Minister of Music at Christ Church, Methodist, from 1962 to 1964. Our saint also wrote The Youth Choir (1964) and received his Mus.D. degree from High Point College (1963).
Lovelace moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1964. Through 1970 he served as the Minister of Music at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Our saint also taught at Iliff School of Theology (-1969) then at Temple Buell College (1969-1970). Lovelace also wrote The Anatomy of Hymnody (1965).
During the 1960s, Lovelace was active in the preparation of The Methodist Hymnal/The Book of Hymns (1966). He served on the committee and as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Tunes. Our saint also composed one tune (HINMAN), wrote three pieces of service music (#783, 786, and 797), adapted one tune, altered two tunes, versified one text, and harmonized twenty-six hymn tunes for the hymnal. Furthermore, Lovelace wrote for Companion to the Hymnal (1970).
Above: Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas
Image Source = Google Earth
Lovelace remained a full-time church musician through 1986. He served as the Minister of Music at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas (1970-1977); then at Wellshire Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado (1977-1986). He retired in 1986.
Above: Wellshire Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado
Image Source = Google Earth
Lovelace remained active in retirement. He composed through 2010, bringing his catalog to more than 1000 works: hymn tunes, works for organ, works for choirs, works for soloists, arrangements, harmonizations, et cetera. Our saint ceased to work as a substitute organist when 87 years old. Lovelace also contributed to The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), for which he prepared the Metrical Index. That volume included an original hymn tune (MUSTARD SEED), five hymn tune harmonizations, and one hymn versification by our saint. And he wrote a book, Hymn Notes for Church Bulletins (1987).
Lovelace, aged 91 years, died in Denver, Colorado, on April 25, 2010. His survivors included Pauline, his wife; Barbara Lovelace Williams, his daughter; and a grandson.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 20, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZACCHAEUS, PENITENT TAX COLLECTOR AND ROMAN COLLABORATOR
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Holy God, whose majesty surpasses all human definitions and capacity to grasp,
thank you for those (especially Austin C. Lovelace)
who have nurtured and encouraged the reverent worship of you.
May their work inspire us to worship you in knowledge, truth, and beauty.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
1 Chronicles 25:1-8
Psalm 145
Revelation 15:1-4
John 4:19-26
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 27, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES INTERCISUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGIAN
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Above: The Flag of Canada, 1965-Present
Image in the Public Domain
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JAMES HEALEY WILLAN (OCTOBER 12, 1880-FEBRUARY 16, 1968)
Canadian Anglican Organist and Composer
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A scholar with a musical background a thousand years deep. One of the chief sources of his inspiration is Gregorian music….He is obviously well acquainted with the English school, and…the method and traditional music of the Eastern Church.
–Quoted in Armin Haeussler, The Story of Our Hymns: The Handbook to the Hymnal of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (1952), 183
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(James) Healey Willan comes to this, A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: AN ECUMENICAL CALENDAR OF SAINTS’ DAYS AND HOLY DAYS, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Willan was a son of James Burton Willan and Eleanor Healey Willan. Our saint, born in London, England, on October 12, 1880, started his musical education when four years old. He, a choirboy at St. Saviour’s Choir School when eight years old, went on to serve as organist and choirmaster of St. Saviour’s Church, St. Albans, from 1897 to 1900. Our saint, steeped in Anglo-Catholic liturgical and musical traditions, served as the organist and choirmaster at Christ Church, Wanstead (1900-1903); then at St. John the Baptist Church, Kensington (1903-1913). He married Gladys Ellen Hallin in 1905. The couple had three sons and one daughter.
The Willan family moved to Canada in 1913. He became the head of the theory department at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (1913-1920); the Vice President of that conservatory (1920-1936); the organist and choirmaster at the Anglican Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto (1921-death). Our saint received his doctorate in music from the University of Toronto in 1921. He, the Director of Music at Hart House, the University of Toronto (1919-1925), served on the music faculty at that university (1937-1950). Furthermore, Willan served as the President of the Authors and Composers Association of Canada (1933f). He also became a Companion of the Order of Canada (1967).
YouTube offers some interesting and informative videos regarding Willan. There is an interview (parts 1 and 2). I also refer you, O reader, to a recording of our saint playing the organ at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Furthermore, I recommend that you listen to recordings of some of his compositions:
- Piano Concerto in C Minor (1944);
- The Three Kings;
- Missa Brevis #2 in F Minor;
- Missa Brevis #5 in F Sharp Minor;
- Lo, in the Time Appointed;
- Rise Up, My Love;
- Hodie, Christus Natus Est; and
- Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue for Organ (1916).
Willan composed in a traditional style informed by his Anglo-Catholic roots, Tudor-era music, and German Romanticism. His oeuvre encompassed about 800 compositions. These included masses, motets, organ works, cantatas, symphonies, chamber music, and settings of poems.
Willan, aged 87 years, died in Toronto on February 16, 1968.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 19, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, PRINCESS OF HUNGARY, AND HUMANITARIAN
THE FEAST OF ALICE NEVIN, U.S. GERMAN REFORMED LITURGIST AND COMPOSER OF HYMN TEXTS
THE FEAST OF ARTHUR HENRY MANN, ANGLICAN ORGANIST, CHOIR DIRECTOR, HYMNODIST, AND HYMN TUNE COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF JOHANN CHRISTIAN TILL, U.S. MORAVIAN ORGANIST, COMPOSER, AND PIANO BUILDER; AND HIS SON, JACOB CHRISTIAN TILL, U.S. MORAVIAN PIANO BUILDER
THE FEAST OF JOHANN HERMANN SCHEIN, GERMAN LUTHERAN COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF SAMUEL JOHN STONE, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
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Eternal God, light of the world and Creator of all that is good and lovely:
We bless your name for inspiring Healey Willan and all those
who with music have filled us with desire and love for you;
through Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Chronicles 29:14b-19
Psalm 90:14-17
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
John 21:15-17, 24-25
–Adapted from Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 728
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Above: Edward Shippen Barnes
Image Source = hymntime.com
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EDWARD SHIPPEN BARNES (SEPTEMBER 14, 1887-FEBRUARY 14, 1958)
U.S. Presbyterian Organist, Composer, and Writer
Edward Shippen Barnes comes to this, A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: AN ECUMENICAL CALENDAR OF SAINTS’ DAYS AND HOLY DAYS, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Barnes, born in Seabright, New Jersey, on September 14, 1887, was a son of Charles Wheeler Barnes and Elizabeth Shippen. Our saint studied music at a young age. He studied music from a young age. He started organ studies at The Lawrenceville School, Lawrence Township, New Jersey. At Yale University, Barnes studied organ and composition. Horatio William Parker (1863-1919) taught him composition. After graduating from Yale, our saint continued his studies at the Schola Cantorum, Paris, France.
Barnes, a member of the old Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., served as organist and choirmaster in Episcopal and Presbyterian congregations:
- Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, New York, New York (1911-1912);
- Rutgers Presbyterian Church, New York, New York (1913-1924), during which time he also served in the Naval Reserve (1918-1919);
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1924-1938); and
- First Presbyterian Church, Santa Monica, California (1938-1954).
Barnes retired to Idyllwild, California, in 1954. He donated a small organ to a local congregation and played that instrument in worship.
Barnes, married with four children, had a great interest in the musical education of children. Therefore, he compiled and edited Bach for Beginners in Organ-Playing (1919). Our saint also edited The Children’s Anthem Book: Thirty-Six Anthems for Unison Voices with Piano or Organ Accompaniment (1922).
Barnes wrote and edited other texts, too. He edited American Organ Monthly for years. Our saint also wrote A Method of Organ Playing (1921). Furthermore, he contributed texts to Handbook for the Hymnal (1935), the companion volume to his denomination’s The Hymnal (1933).
Barnes composed both sacred and secular music:
- Two organ symphonies,
- Twp organ suites,
- Fantasia for Organ and Choir,
- Two cantatas (The Comforter and Remember Now Thy Creator),
- Piano pieces,
- Vocal works,
- Anthems,
- Episcopal services, and
- Hymn tunes.
Barnes composed at least four hymn tunes:
- GLORIA,
- MERIEL,
- QUI TENET, and
- SAN VICENTE (for “Healer Divine, Who Walkest Still”).
Our saint also composed descants, arranged hymn tunes, and wrote the text of at least one hymn (“Keep Thou My Hands E’er Swift”).
Barnes, aged 70 years, died in Idyllwild, California, on February 14, 1958.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 17, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT HENRIETTE DELILLE, FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY
THE FEAST OF SAINT HUGH OF LINCOLN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND ABBOT
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Holy God, whose majesty surpasses all human definitions and capacity to grasp,
thank you for those (especially Edward Shippen Barnes)
who have nurtured and encouraged the reverent worship of you.
May their work inspire us to worship you in knowledge, truth, and beauty.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
1 Chronicles 25:1-8
Psalm 145
Revelation 15:1-4
John 4:19-26
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 27, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES INTERCISUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGIAN
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äAbove: The Flag of Brazil
Image in the Public Domain
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PERE CASALDÀLIGA I PLA (FEBRUARY 16, 1928-AUGUST 8, 2020)
Roman Catholic Bishop of São Félix, Brazil
“Bishop to then Poor”
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If in doubt, side with the poor.
–One of Bishop Casaldàliga’s favorite sayings
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Bishop Pedro Casaldàliga comes to this, A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: AN ECUMENICAL CALENDAR OF SAINTS’ DAYS AND HOLY DAYS, via Father João Bosco Burnier (1917-1976), one of his priests, and a martyr.
Our saint was a Catalan. He, born in Balsareny, Catalonia, Spain, on February 16, 1928, grew up on the family’s cattle ranch. He, ordained a priest in Barcelona on May 31, 1952, was also a Claretian.
The order sent Casaldàliga to Brazil in 1968. There he remained, except for travels out of the country. Our saint, appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Territorial Prefecture of São Félix on April 27, 1970, became its bishop on August 27, 1971. He served in this capacity until retiring on February 2, 2005. Casaldàliga made powerful enemies.
- He opposed the Brazilian military dictatorship, which committed violations of human rights of civilians. That government censored him.
- He confronted large agricultural corporations for cooperating with the military dictatorship and operating a modern form of the slaver trade.
- He advocated for the rights of the poor and indigenous people. This advocacy incurred the wrath of logging corporations, mining corporations, agricultural corporations, and land-grabbers. Casaldàliga received death threats and the attention of more than one hitman, even after he retired.
- In 1972, he founded the Conselho Indigenista Missionário within the Brazilian Roman Catholic Church, to support the rights of indigenous peoples.
- He favored liberation theology. This position placed Casaldàliga on the bad side of Pope John Paul II and Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI). The bishop defied Rome when he refused to sign a prepared statement acknowledging his alleged errors.
- He criticized the Roman Catholic Church from within for, among other errors, marginalizing women, opposing liberation theology, and being overly centralized.
- He made other churchmen look bad by voluntarily living in poverty, in community.
Casaldàliga, in retirement, served as a priest. He also had a favorable relationship with Pope Francis. The bishop, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, died in Batatais, São Paolo, on August 8, 2020. He was 92 years old.
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Lord Christ, who pronounced the poor to be blessed heirs of the Kingdom of God,
thank you for the faithful life and legacy of your servant, Bishop Pedro Casaldàliga,
who lived the Gospel in his advocacy on behalf of the poor and indigenous peoples.
May the spirit of courageous defense of the marginalized and oppressed ever be strong within your Church.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Deuteronomy 24:10-15
Psalm 10
Revelation 18:9-24
Luke 6:20-26
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 15, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JOHN AMOS COMENIUS, FATHER OF MODERN EDUCATION
THE FEAST OF GUSTAF AULEN AND HIS PROTÉGÉ AND COLLEAGUE, ANDERS NYGREN, SWEDISH LUTHERAN BISHOPS AND THEOLOGIANS
THE FEAST OF JANE MONTGOMERY CAMPBELL, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER AND MUSIC EDUCATOR
THE FEAST OF JOHANN GOTTLOB KLEMM, INSTRUMENT MAKER; DAVID TANNENBERG, SR., GERMAN-AMERICAN MORAVIAN ORGAN BUILDER; JOHANN PHILIP BACHMANN, GERMAN-AMERICAN MORAVIAN INSTRUMENT MAKER; JOSEPH FERDINAND BULITSCHEK, BOHEMIAN-AMERICAN ORGAN BUILDER; AND TOBIAS FRIEDRICH, GERMAN MORAVIAN COMPOSER AND MUSICIAN
THE FEAST OF JOHANNES KEPLER, GERMAN LUTHERAN ASTRONOMER AND MATHEMATICIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH PIGNATELLI, RESTORER OF THE JESUITS
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Above: Julius H. Horstmann
Image Cropped from the 1955 Year Book of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (1954), 57
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JULIUS HENRY HORSTMANN (MARCH 16, 1869-FEBRUARY 13, 1954)
U.S. Prussian Evangelical Minister and Hymn Translator
Also known as Julius Hermann Edward Horstmann
The Reverend Julius Henry Horstmann comes to this, A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: AN ECUMENICAL CALENDAR OF SAINTS’ DAYS AND HOLY DAYS, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church.
In 1817, King Frederick William III of Prussia (reigned 1797-1840) merged the Lutheran and Reformed denominations in his realm. Thus, in Prussian terms, “Evangelical” simply meant Protestant. The Evangelical Synod of North America (1872-1934), with its organizational roots in the New World dating to 1840, was the North American counterpart to the Prussian union church. The ESNA merged with the (German) Reformed Church in the United States to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1934.
The legacy of the Evangelical and Reformed Church continues as the liturgical wing of the United Church of Christ.
Horstmann, born in Napierville, Illinois, on March 16, 1869, spent most of his life in the Evangelical Synod of North America. His father, Henry Horstmann, was the treasurer of the ESNA’s North Illinois District from 1874 to 1888. After studying at Northwestern College (now North Central College), Napierville, our saint studied at Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University), Elmhurst, Illinois. Studies at Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, followed.
The Reverend Julius H. Horstmann, ordained on December 13, 1891, ministered in congregations in Indiana and Texas before becoming a denominational journalist. He edited The Evangelical Herald (1906-1935) then served as Associate Editor of The Messenger (1936-1939).
Horstmann also wrote at least two books:
- The Will of God (1925), and
- Through Four Centuries: The Story of the Beginnings of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (1938), with Herbert Werbecke.
Horstmann also translated hymns:
- “God of Might, We Praise Thy Name” (1908), a setting of the German Te Deum by Ignaz Franz (1719-1790);
- “The Work is Thine, O Christ Our Lord;” and
- “Wait on God, and Trust Him.”
Horstmann, who retired in 1939, died in Mount Vernon, Illinois, on February 13, 1954. He was 84 years old.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 14, 2021 COMMON ERA
PROPER 28: THE TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAMUEL SEABURY, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF CONNECTICUT, AND PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA LUIZA MERKERT, CO-FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF SAINT ELIZABETH
THE FEAST OF SAINT NICHOLAS TAVELIC AND HIS COMPANIONS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS, 1391
THE FEAST OF PETER WOLLE, U.S. MORAVIAN BISHOP, ORGANIST, AND COMPOSER; THEODORE FRANCES WOLLE, U.S. MORAVIAN ORGANIST AND COMPOSER; AND JOHN FREDERICK “J. FRED.” WOLLE, U.S. MORAVIAN ORGANIST, COMPOSER, AND CHOIR DIRECTOR
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Dear God of beauty,
you have granted literary ability and spiritual sensitivity to
Julius H. Horstmann and others, who have translated hymn texts.
May we, as you guide us,
find worthy hymn texts to be icons,
through which we see you.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 44:1-3a, 5-15
Psalm 147
Revelation 5:11-14
Luke 2:8-20
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 20, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINTS AMATOR OF AUXERRE AND GERMANUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT MAMERTINUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT MARCIAN OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK
THE FEAST OF JOHANNES BUGENHAGEN, GERMAN LUTHERAN PASTOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARCELLINUS OF EMBRUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF OLAVUS AND LAURENTIUS PETRI, RENEWERS OF THE CHURCH
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Above: Blessed Maria Esperanza de Jesus
Image in the Public Domain
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MARIA JOSEFA ALHAMA Y VALERA (SEPTEMBER 30, 1893-FEBRUARY 8, 1983)
Founder of the Handmaids of Merciful Love and the Sons of Merciful Love
Also known as Blessed Esperanza de Jesus
Blessed Maria Esperanza de Jesus comes to this, A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: AN ECUMENICAL CALENDAR OF SAINTS’ DAYS AND HOLY DAYS, via the Roman Catholic Church.
Maria Josefa, born in Santomera, Murcia, Spain, on September 30, 1893, came from a devout, peasant family. She was the first of nine children. Our saint’s father was an agricultural worker. Her mother was a housewife. Maria Josefa, educated by nuns, joined the Daughters of Calvary, as Sister Esperanza de Jesus (Hope of Jesus) when 21 years old.
Our saint, devoted to the Merciful Love of Jesus, founded two orders. She founded the Handmaids of Merciful Love in Madrid, Spain, on December 24, 1930. Their mission was to care for the sick, the elderly, orphans, and poor children, and to educate the latter two. She, based in Rome from 1926 to 1951, then at Collevalenza, Perugia, Italy, starting in 1951, founded the corresponding male order, the Sons of Merciful Love, in Collevalenza in 1951.
Our saint oversaw the construction of the Sanctuary of Merciful Love, at Collevalenza, completed in 1959. Pope John Paul II visited the church and our saint in 1982. He recognized the church as a minor basilica.
Our saint, aged 89 years, died in Collevalenza on February 8, 1983.
The Church has formally recognized Valera. Pope John Paul II declared her a Venerable in 2002. Pope Frances beatified her in 2014.
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Many non-Christians–especially non-believers–think of Christianity as a judgmental, legalistic faith. This is a misunderstanding of Christianity, as it is, at its best. However, many professing Christians are judgmental and legalistic. They are what they falsely accuse Jews of being–legalistic, with works-based righteousness.
Blessed Maria Esperanza de Jesus correctly focused on divine merciful love–that which loves unconditionally and seeks to attract all people. Grace is free, not cheap; ask the Hebrew prophets, Jesus, and the martyrs. Grace calls for faithful response.
Legalism is a misguided attempt to respond faithfully to God. Legalism is a sibling of the quest for certainty. That quest is idolatrous; it replaces faith in God with certainty.
May we–you, O reader, and I–lean all the way into God’s merciful love and trust in it. May we be neither legalistic nor judgmental. May we respond faithfully to God.
God of merciful love, thank you for the faithful life and legacy
of your servant, Blessed Maria Esperanza de Jesus.
May our lives also be beacons of your merciful love,
for your glory and the benefit of others.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-37
Psalm 23
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Luke 10:25-37
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 10, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT LEO I “THE GREAT,” BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF LOTT CARY, AFRICAN-AMERICAN BAPTIST MINISTER AND MISSIONARY TO LIBERIA; AND MELVILLE B. COX, U.S. METHODIST MINISTER AND MISSIONARY TO LIBERIA
THE FEAST OF ODETTE PRÉVOST, FRENCH ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN, AND MARTYR IN ALGERIA, 1995
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Above: Lindsay Bartholomew Longacre
Image in the Public Domain
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LINDSAY BARTHOLOMEW LONGACRE (JANUARY 26, 1870-SEPTEMBER 16, 1952)
U.S. Methodist Minister, Biblical Scholar, and Hymn Tune Composer
Lindsay Bartholomew Longacre comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses: An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church. The companion volume to The Methodist Hymnal (1935) provides other material for this post.
Longacre, born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on January 26, 1870, changed his career plans to become a minister. Our saint was a son of Orleans Longacre, Sr. (1840-1920), and Rachel Bartholomew Longacre (1837-1937). Lindsay graduated from Columbia University with a degree in mining engineering (1892). However, another calling determined his future. He graduated from Drew Theological Seminary (B.D., 1896). Later that year, our saint became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as pastor of three congregations in the State of New York until 1910. He married Arabella Hyland (d. 1937) in 1904. Longacre continued his theological education at the University of Jena (1905-1906, 1910) and New York University (PhD., 1908).
Longacre was a professor of Old Testament at Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado (1910-1942). He doubled as a music critic for a local newspaper.
Longacre’s published works were:
- Elijah and Elisha and Their Part in the Politico-Religious Crisis in Israel in the Ninth Century B.C. (1908), his dissertation;
- The Riverdale Hymn Book (1912), as co-editor, with Ira Seymour Dodd;
- A Prophet of the Spirit: A Sketch of the Character and Work of Jeremiah (First Edition, 1917; Second Edition, 1922);
- Amos, A Prophet of a New Order (1921);
- Deuteronomy, A Prophetic Lawbook (1924); and
- The Old Testament: Its Form and Purpose (1945).
Longacre also composed hymn tunes. These included:
- BEHOLD THE LAMB,
- BLAKE,
- COLORADO,
- DEEPER LIFE,
- FIRENZE,
- ILIFF,
- MY COUNTRY,
- NEW AMERICA,
- ORLEANS,
- THE RADIANT MORN,
- RIVERDALE, and
- WARREN.
Longacre retired in 1942. He and second wife Florence Biggart Longacre (1886-1980) moved to New York, New York. Our saint, aged 82 years, died there on September 16, 1952.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF BEYERS NAUDÉ, SOUTH AFRICAN DUTCH REFORMED MINISTER AND ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVIST
THE FEAST OF ELIE NAUD, HUGUENOT WITNESS TO THE FAITH
THE FEAST OF JANE LAURIE BORTHWICK AND SARAH BORTHWICK FINDLATER, SCOTTISH PRESBYTERIAN TRANSLATORS OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN DUCKETT AND RALPH CORBY, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS IN ENGLAND, 1644
THE FEAST OF SAINT KASSIANI THE HYMNOGRAPHER, BYZANTINE ABBESS, POET, COMPOSER, HYMN WRITER, AND DEFENDER OF ICONS
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O God, you have endowed us with memory, reason, and skill.
We thank you for the faithful legacy of [Lindsay Bartholomew Longacre and all others]
who have dedicated their lives to you and to the intellectual pursuits.
May we, like them, respect your gift of intelligence fully and to your glory.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Psalm 103
Philippians 4:8-9
Mark 12:28-34
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 6, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT CHRODEGANG OF METZ, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF EDMUND KING, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF LINCOLN
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Above: Bob Keeshan as Captain Kangaroo
Image in the Public Domain
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ROBERT JAMES KEESHAN (JUNE 27, 1927-JANUARY 23, 2004)
Captain Kangaroo
Bob Keeshan comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses: An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via historical accounts and my childhood.
Keeshan came from an Irish-American Roman Catholic family. He, born in Lynbrook, New York, on June 27, 1927, was a son of Margaret Frances Conroy Keeshan (d. 1943) and grocery store manager Joseph Keeshan. Our saint, who graduated from high school in June 1945, served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve (1945-1946). Afterward, he worked at the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and commenced prelaw studies at Cornell University. After a few years, Keeshan switched his major to education. He graduated in 1951. The previous year, he married Anne Jeanne Laurie (d. 1996), a receptionist at the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), The couple raised three children.
Keeshan worked on children’s shows before Captain Kangaroo. He made his broadcasting debut on the Triple B Ranch, a radio program, in 1947. The following year, our saint originated the role of Clarabell the Clown on The Howdy Doody Show. He left that role in 1952. Our saint portrayed Corny the Clown on Time for Fun (1953-1955), a morning television program in New York City. He also selected the cartoons to broadcast. Violent and racially-insensitive cartoons did not make the cut. Our saint also created Tinker’s Workshop (1954-1955), a program for preschoolers. He played the Tinker, a grandfather figure.
Keeshan portrayed Captain Kangaroo from October 1955 to December 1984. He wore a coat with large pockets, hence the character’s name. Our saint aimed the show at children six to eight years old. He presented a gentle program that introduced children, as well as many adults, to music, literature, and science. Characters included Mr. Moose, Bunny Rabbit, Grandfather Clock, and Mr. Green Jeans.
Keeshan advocated for issues affecting children. He opposed tobacco companies sponsoring children’s activities. Our saint, like his peer and friend Fred Rogers (1928-2003), understood human development, especially the importance of the first few years. Therefore, Keeshan worked to provide daycare programs to businesses (1987f), criticized violence in video games, and condemned cartoons that were advertisements for toys in the 1980s.
Our saint, who received awards for his work in children’s broadcasting, died at home in Windsor, Vermont, on January 23, 2004. He was 76 years old.
When Bob Keeshan spoke out regarding values, his life backed up his words.
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Living God, whose image each human being bears,
we thank you for the faith, life, and legacy of Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo.
May the gentleness he embodied thrive in societies,
and may education enrich children culturally and intellectually.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Proverbs 4:1-9
Psalm 78:1-4
Ephesians 6:1-4
Matthew 19:13-15
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF CHARLES FOX, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY IN MELANESIA
THE FEAST OF AARON ROBARTS WOLFE, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF ALLEN CRITE, ARTIST
THE FEAST OF HANNAH MORE, ANGLICAN POET, PLAYWRIGHT, RELIGIOUS WRITER, AND PHILANTHROPIST
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH GOMER AND MARY GOMER, U.S. UNITED BRETHREN MISSIONARIES IN SIERRA LEONE
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Above: Logos of The Methodist Church (1939-1968) and The United Methodist Church (1968-)
Photograph by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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JOHN MARINUS VERSTEEG (SEPTEMBER 9, 1888-JANUARY 14, 1977)
U.S. Methodist Minister and Hymn Writer
John Marinus Versteeg comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses: An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Versteeg was a native of The Netherlands. He, born in Den Heller on September 9, 1888, was a son of Anna Petronella Ollman Versteeg and the Reverend Dir Oren Versteeg. The family immigrated in 1900, and our saint became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1909.
Versteeg became a Methodist minister. He served in three successive denominations, due to mergers: the Methodist Episcopal Church (-1939), The Methodist Church (1939-1968), and The United Methodist Church (1968f). Our saint, ordained a deacon in 1915, graduated from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey (Bachelor of Divinity, 1916). Versteeg joined the ranks of elders in 1917. He wrote The Modern Meaning of Church Membership (1919).
Versteeg was pastor of West Side Methodist Episcopal Church, Jersey City, New Jersey (1920-1921). During this time, he married Edna Catherine Ames on June 18, 1921. The couple had four children: Sherwood, Elaine, Robert, and Virgil.
Our saint served as the pastor of Drew Methodist Episcopal (now United Methodists) Church, Port Jervis, New York (1922-1925). During these years, Versteeg wrote and published three books:
- The Deeper Meaning of Stewardship (1923),
- Christ and the Problems of Youth (1924), and
- Christianity at Work (1925).
Versteeg was pastor of Roseville Methodist Episcopal Church (now Roseville St. Paul’s United Methodist Church), Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania (1929-1931). During this time, he wrote Perpetuating Pentecost (1930). Our saint also received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania (1931).
Versteeg’s longest tenure was at Walnut Hills-Avondale Methodist Episcopal/Methodist Church, Cincinnati, Ohio (1932-1945). Our saint was productive during these years. He wrote three books:
- Save Money! (1939),
- Our Protestant Convictions (1941), and
- When Christ Controls: Stewardship Messages (1943).
Stewardship was Versteeg’s favorite topic about which to write. He also wrote a hymn, though. In 1926, our saint wrote a hymn for Psalm Sunday. This text was “Does Thy Soul Leap Up Within Thee?” (The Hymnal, 1941, #139).
While in Cincinnati, Versteeg did much more.
- He served as the president of the Greater Cincinnati Writers’ League (1942-1944).
- He was the president of the Council of Churches in Greater Cincinnati (1941-1944).
- He founded the Cincinnati School of Religion.
- He chaired the Social Service Commission of the Ohio Annual Conference (1943-1944).
- He sat on the regional War Labor Board (1943-1945).
- He was a lecturer in Biblical Literature at the University of Cincinnati (1943-1944).
- He took a seat on the denominational Executive Committee of the Commission on Church Union (1944-1956).
- He was a delegate to the General Conference (1940).
Furthermore, Versteeg received more academic honors. Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree in 1942. Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, granted our saint the Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in 1945.
Versteeg served as the District Superintendent of the Lima District, based in Lima, Ohio, from 1945 to 1951. During these years, he remained active in other denominational capacities.
- He was a delegate to the General Conferences of 1948.
- He chaired the denominational Commission on Social Action (1948f).
Also, Union College, Schenectady, New York, awarded our saint the Doctor of Letters degree in 1946.
Versteeg served as the pastor of First Methodist (now United Methodist) Church, Athens, Ohio (1951-1957). By 1952, he doubled as a lecturer for the denominational Board of Ministerial Training. He was also a delegate to the General Conference of 1952.
Versteeg was the Director of Libraries at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware, Ohio (1957-1960). Then he retired.
Versteeg served in other capacities, too. He was a delegate to more than one World Methodist Conference. He also belonged to the American Society of Church History. This historical interest manifested itself in a book, Methodism: Ohio Area (1812-1962) (1962).
Our saint, aged 88 years, died on January 14, 1977.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 29, 2021 COMMON ERA
PROPER 17: THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF THE BEHEADING OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
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O God, our heavenly Father, who raised up your faithful servant John Marinus Versteeg,
to be a pastor in your Church and to feed your flesh:
Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit,
that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ
and stewards of your divine mysteries;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Acts 20:17-35
Psalm 84 or 84:7-11
Ephesians 3:14-21
Matthew 24:42-47
–Adapted from Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 719
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SUNDRY THOUGHTS 
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