Tell Your Doctor

Don’t you get sick of hearing that on your TV?  Or Ask your doctor.  When I pray tell can you tell your doctor or ask him.  Usually they are so far removed from you, you have no chance to tell them or ask them anything. 

 I am a Dialysis patient and the cathetor in my neck needed to be removed. This was so a better one could be placed in my arm I was told by my primary insurance carrier to get  blood work done and to call my “primary care” doctor and ask for his office to do the blood work-that I should not need an appointment    In this request, I was told that I would not need an appointment, just call in and ask the receptionist to arrange it and have them fax the report to my hospital where the cathetor would be removed.  Well, as you may guess, the doctor would not allow me an easy entrance- He and his office took up the best part of the day and it was 4;30 pm before I got the needed blood work.  This was not done without having to sit in one of the cubical rooms where he would make an appearance. The truth is, that he gave me less than 2 minutes then said follow me.  He then took me to his lab down the hall where the necessary blood was taken.  Now of course I was more than a little upset. You see, he could have allowed this without having my co-pay for his so-called office visit. He was not entitled to an office -or a copay as he did not advise or consult with me about anything- Just ‘follow me” as I mentioned.  

How many times have you sat in their office for more than an hour.  I have been subjected to as much as 3 hours before finally getting to see the doctor- and this has been with more than one doctor.  One doctor who keeps a bible on his desk had me waiting 3 hours- because his girls were giving him a birthday party in one of the back rooms. When he finally came to see me, I told him that I would not be back.- and I found another Primary doctor who on my second visit had me waiting over 2 hours. So you see folks, this is as bad as it can get.  I am not alone. My son with his family have been subjected to as much as 9 hours waiting to see a doctor.  I have a friend who goes to the Veteran Hospital here-He and his wife were kept more than 9 hours in the emergency room before they could see a doctor.  Of course, this means understaffed.   It appears that too many doctors are in a state of rebellion because they are incensed at the regulations they are subject to.

]The Pharmeceuticals are a large part of the problem as they do this mega-million dollar advertising on TV. Constantly telling us to ”Ask your doctor: if this is right for you.” This statement gives your doctor the option of trying out other medications if this one doesn’t seem to help.  Of course, all these chemicals in your body are not supposed to work.  Your creator never intended for you to ingest chemicals as your medicine. 

Our Grandparents (for those of us who are at least 75 years of age) would not dream of taking pills.  Their food was their medicine.  they had knowledge of herbs that would be good for them- Consequently, they did not suffer from maladies as too many of us do today. In our bible the book of James tells us, “if there be any sick among you, let him take herbs.”

It is true that in our society today, doctors are necessary and some do magnificent work in their various fields.  But, it is high time, our society demands a solution to these problems .  For example, ask your doctor for a ”Generic” if he is prescribing a 50 or 60.00 drug.  I have seen at least a couple of times people cry at the pharmeucy window when told the pricve of their prescription. 

With dialysis patients, they have excellent lab reports and physician assistants can monitor on a weekly basis your condition.–There is a dietician who helps you with your diet.. The diet then becomes the all important factor in your health.  And this is not just for dialysis patients.  Our bibles tell us that our food is our medicine.  In the book of James, we are told, “If any among you be sick, let him take herbs.”  This then is a key to our good health.  Unfortunately, we do not learn this until we are suffering from some terible  disease.  Let us thereore not be careless about our health-

I have lived to be past 80 years of age before my Kidney failure and am thankful for this fact., May those who read this be judicious in the management of their health,.

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Angels Unawares

Angels Unawares;

By

 

Dewey Maggard Most people believe there are guardian angels who watch over us. There have been numerousaccounts of these unseen beings in our presence. Radio, Newspapers and Televesion have reported incidents that have miraculous overtones. Unexplained occurences that cause us to escape what would be certain death gives credubility to our concept of guardian angels It does not have to be escape from death, It can be escape from an unseen danger-unseen by the one who is being protected. It is safe to say many people have had personal experiences they can relate which causes them to be aware of this unseen presence. The certain manifestations of the miraculous have caused humanity to come to these beliefs. This idea of unseen angels about us is not new. There is countless tangible and historically recorded evidence going back to the ancient past. Not only secular history but also biblical scriptures validate this fact. Firstly,I will give sufficient tangible evidence through numismatics that supports this belief. Then, I will quote a few biblical narratives that are the true roots to the wonderful angelic guardianship that has been given to mankind.A universal concept of what angels may look like has been depicted on ancient coinages as early as 483 B.C. Various nations during that period and later have been partial to show angels in flight hovering over a chariot and the charioteer. This particular design is prevalent with the Carthiginians, the Greeks, and the Romans. The earliest coin I have seen with this motif is a Silver Dekadrachm minted by the tyrant Dionysios at Syracuse Italy Circa 390 B.C,who ruled there.This design has four prancing horse pulling the the charioteer in his chariot with the angel hovering over the driver with outstretched armsover his head. A few years later, Alexander the Great gives us the name of an Angel he claims to have spoken with. That name was “Nike’ and has stuck with historical writers.The angels are frequently shown with outstretched arms over the head of the driver. In later Republic era of the Romans, angels were often shown as driving the chariot- to signify, the protection offered to the one whose name is on the coin. One example that I have seen,on a silver denarius is an angel driving the chariot in place of General Sulla who is named on the coin. This writer owns such coins. Strangely as it may seem to our own modern society, these ancient people were very religious. The word providentia (Latin) occurs many times on early Roman coins. These people had no less than 23 Dieties and 34 various images for Personifications. The personification for Providentia- or providence is always shown holding a baton and scepter. Occasionally a globe (for the earth) appears at her feet signifying protection over the earth or their world. Of course these people knew the earth was round.Numerous ancient coins depict a globe for our world. THis personification is shown as a lady. On our own U.S. Coinage, we show personifications for “Liberty” in the form of a lady;See our quarters from 1916-1930- or our half dollars from 1916-1945.There are literally hundreds of references to angels in our bibles. Yet before we had our bibles, the belief concerning angels was widespread and the coinages illustrate this fact. Miraculous incidents involving angels have been so vivid as to leave little doubt for mankind if he will but look at the record. For example, King Nebuchadnezzer who had three young men thrown in a fiery furnace became a believer when he saw that these men were unharmed by the flames. He made a statement to show that he knew about angels when he said (Paraphrased) “Blessed be the God of these men who trusted their God, that He has sent his angels and delivered them.(Read Daniel 3:28 & 29) Futhermore, this king made a decree that every people, nation, and language would learn of this incident and uphold these three men.One more example that captured the minds of people concerns when the prophet Daniel was thrown in the Lion’s den because of jealous treachery. So what happened! This was another king (Darius) who was very concerned about Daniel- He made inquiry to Daniel having believed that angels would have protected him- which they did. Daniel’s reply to this king was “My God hath sent his angel,and hath shut the lions’ mouth that they have not hurt me”…Dan 6:22. The king was so delighted that he made a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom, men fear and tremble before the God of Daniel…Dan 6:26.. And so dear reader,The above is simply a couple of examples as to how the word got out- the word was published in all lands by these King’s decrees. Of course,from the very beginning of man’s history,the presence of angles has been known- But here we are dealing with an extension of those decrees and incidents in the form of tangible evidence on coinages.

Wouldn’t it be great if our own leaders would take heed to the words of these kings to fear and tremble before God- especially in their decision making.

The sobering thoughts we glean from all of this is that indeed, there is providential watch care especially for those who look to Him who has all power. One last comment that we could think on- are the words of the apostle Paul in Hebrews 13:2 as follows; “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby, some have entertained angels unawares.

Cool Clear Water

Cool clear WaterByDewey MaggardHave you ever thought what a magnificent gift that water is to humanity? Think about this with me for a few minutes. Men and kings have fought over water.. They have negotiated with each other over water rights: Yet when droughts,or dry spells took place often bloodshed was a result of who is going to get this precious life saving element.

The people who fight over this liquid do not care that to science it is known as H2 0. Who cares how it has been labeled? What is known in every corner of the globe is that this thing known as water is important to survival. Sadly, humanity takes this wonderful element for granted until some strange force, by way of natural catastroiphe or act of God causes the water supply to be cut off. An example of early water rationing is found in Ezek 4:16 where the prophet speaks of obtaining water by “measure.”

Israel has rationed water off and on since their homeland was given back to them by Mandate from Great Britain. There been serious disputes and serious negotiations with neighboring countries over their water. The Golan Heights area is a strategic place for Israel- One of the reasons they fought Syria for recontrol of this area had to do with water. This is one of the source areas of water that finds its way into the Jordan river. Jordon is dependant on Israel for most of it’s water, and this of course comes from the Jordan river. Since the 1990’s, Damascaus has found cause to ration water from time to time.

There has been negotiations from three of these countries, Syria, Israel and Jordon with Turkey for plans to build a pipeline to supply their water. This is how serious we find the situation today and it fits in fulfillment of the prophecy in Amos 4;8

Recorded in earliest histories, are incidents of water shortages bringing about rationing. Not only have we seen rationing, but the necessity of purchasing water. In Deut 2:6 we read where God instructs the wandering Israelites to purchase meat and water from their enemies of (your brethren of the children of Esau) During their forty years in the wilderness God had provided abundantly for them. Now they must pass through Seir, the territory of Esau and depend on getting their food and water from them. This must have been an extremely repugnant task for them to perform, however, this is what God told them to do.

An interesting side note here is that they were specifically told to buy of them for money. Keep in mind this was at least 700 years before money as coinages had been minted. Yet, we find monetary terms used in the earliest books of our bible.

As to purchasing of water, today most of us find this to be obnoxious. Many of us can remember from our early childhood of crystal clear springs within a short distance from our homes. These springs were always running with pure water. The pride of our rural neighbors was their well. If you happened by on a hot summer day, usually, you were invited to come and sit under the shade tree and share a cool drink of water from that well. Or better yet, a watermelon would be drawn up in a tub from where it had been cooling and a large cool slice was given to you. What a treat that was. This was a custom where I grew up. The well with cool clear water was indeed an important delight.

Today we see prophecy fulfillment in Amos 4 vs 8, where the prophet speaks of a those who must wander into another city to find water.. I have seen people doing this very thing in some parts of California- and here in New Mexico. However, to put this in a broader perspective, we see people buying cases of spring water in our super markets that comes from far away places like the state of Washington where there is lots of water – This spring water comes from many other places. Why is this? For one thing, our bible speaks of mankind poluting the earth. We also read where God causes much rain in one place, then none in other places. This is merely one way that God tries to speak to his children to get them to turn to Him. It should therefore be plain for people of God’s family to see that we are indeed living in perilous times. And the “water situation” is merely one method God uses to speak with His people.

I spoke of water rationing taking place during earliest recorded histories; yet there was another hazard for those who must first dig their wells before settling down. An example of this is found concerning Isaac who was harrased by the Philistines as they did not want him close by –

Many bible heroes turned the other cheek when it was about water. One outstanding example was that of Isaac in Genesis 26. He dug a well for water IN AN ARID LAND. The Philistines came and claimed the well. Isaac therefore named the well “Esek” which means place of conflict or contention, and he moved on. He dug a second well and the same thing happened. He named this well “Sitnah” which means place of anger. He then moved on again. Isaac must have agonized in turning the other cheek, for digging a well was no small task in ancient times. His enemies made no claim on this third well so he named it “Rehoboth” which means the Lord has made a place or room for us.

Isaac had become an overcomer by turning the other cheek. Isaac went on to dig even a fourth well where his old enemy Abilimech and Phichol his general came and pleaded for peace, claiming they had done no harm. In spite of their false claims, Isaac made covenant with them, for he had won the battle by turning the other cheek. Then he names this fourth well and it’s vicinity “Beersheba which means place of oath (where peace was made).

The road to Beer-sheba was lined with difficulties, but the reward for traveling it was great, for it became a place of peace. As we travel the road to our own Beer-Sheba, that place of peace in that eternal heavenly kingdom, the Lord will also reward and bless us.

I seem to see a place there for each of us, and it is called Rehoboth for there is room for us all. I can not describe it’s beauty but there is a well there, and it is called the Fountain of the Living Waters. Isaac found this place. Can we?

Antecdote for Hatred

Antecdote for HatredBy Dewey MaggardWouldn’t it be nice if we could take someone like Yasher Arafat when he comes to Washington, to make a pretense of peace talk, and give give him a big pill that is an Antidote for hate. (By the way!, 1 Cor 13 especially last two verses is best antidote) There are many rulers of past ages whom we can think of that the world would be a different place and history would not be recorded as it is, had someone been able to give the tyrants a pill as an antidote for their hatred. Just think of all the trouble that would have been avoided if Nero had been forced to take one of these pills. Well of course it is a novel idea. We are learning that it is not pills necessarily that cure us. There is a force greater than anything we know that is at work to help people make a choice in their decisions. A choice in their lives for what is right. Our creator is allowing Satan to have every opportunity! We are the prizes that are at stake. Our creator doesn’t use force to have us submit our wills to Him and make Him Lord of our own lives.

We have starving people in many places around the globe. We have many tragic problems within our own society. Yet with all of these sad scenes, we have a proud pompous group of people who somehow have gotten the upper hand within our government in the name of science. I am speaking of NASA or the Space Program, having just learned of the billions they have at their disposal to try and place a camera on some distant object in space. There are many other groups that get grants for trying to find out where we originated.

To what purpose may we ask? Oh let us not question science. After all science is now able to clone sheep. In our news today, they are seriously speaking of cloning human beings. Anything goes in the name of science. Look at us, we will reach unto the heavens- We do not need a God! Look what we can do! This is what science is selling a gullible people.- like sheep being led to the slaughter. It does I think serve God’s purpose to let mankind go so far with the hope that from what he has seen, he will come to his senses. Man has seen that it can take 4 years to go across a heavenly body at the speed of light. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. Now can you phantom this? All I know is that man can not live long enough to accompolish what he is pawning off to the world. I do think that man will be brought low in the near future. He is placing himself in the same bilegerent obdurate rebellious nature of those people who went about building the tower of Babel. Look what happened. Some of you know that story.

Have you ever tried launching a difficult question to strangers? I mean a face to face encounter. I have on a number of occasions. In recent past, my favorite question to strangers including children 9-years to teens is this?

If you were given one thing within your power to do- to make the world a better place to live in- what would you do?

The answers are very interesting and the best answers in my opinion come from the younger children 9-12 in ages.

One little girl says, I would stop divorce. Another slightly older brother says, I would stop war. Another smaller girl says she would fix it so everyone could have a nice home. The grandma who was with these children when this particular question was asked said she couldn’t think of what she would do? She hadn’t given it any thought. As I write this. I ask a cashier in a restaurant today this same question. This lady was probably middle forties. She said “Boy, what a difficult deep question? ” I have never given it much thought.” When I tried to get a spontaenous reply, she said, no I will have to think on that one.

The children’s answer to me expressed a connection for love, or a condition that could bring about love for fellow men by stopping war. I think these children had the key to what societies problem is today- a lack of love. It is a lack of love which creates all the things which are unpleasant to us and eventually brings chaos, frustration, anger and even despair that gives birth to the opposite of love. I do not think anyone will disagree that hate is the opposite of love. Everywhere we look we are seeing hate. Our daily news is filled with terrible crimes.

Groups of people who live side by side are daily trying to kill one another because of hate. There is such an intensive hatred these people only make pretense of peace talks, when they have no intentions of peace. Their hatred is that intense. One example of this is the Israel and Palestinian conflict which has been going on for well over 50 years. Don’t you think if they had really wanted peace, that in all of these intervening years, they could have found it? Perhaps it is not that easy? Man’s natural tendency is one of a rebellious nature. When it comes to someone close to him, he is capable of showing compassion and even love. Yet, when within a few yards of his home, there are people living in their homes peaceably that he hates- and wants to kill-and in fact does kill even to the extent of suicidal attacks on their enemies. I have wondered what could be a deeper hatred than for a people to hate so intense they are willing to kill themselves to kill their enemy.

Now do you think those figures in a government who encourage such behaviour learned this hate from their mothers or from members in their own families.? I dare say these leaders in the middle east did not learn this hatred from their mothers or their sisters or brothers. However, in our day and age it is not uncommon to see hatred among close family members. Then where does this hate come from? The answer to this question goes back to when Satan with his evil angels were expelled from heaven. There has been chaos on this earth ever since.

The first murder was committed by Cain killing his brother Abel. All because of disobedience and a wrong choice.

You would think after all this detailed histories we have from the earliest recorded history, we could learn something from it. From ealiest records, we have details of wars. We do not have details of rulers bringing love to their subjects. What we have is written records of how a certain king subdued his enemies and forced them to pay tribute to him. Now ask yourselves why did he do this.? On the earliest tombs, we see frescoes of these kings with their clubs overrunning their enemies with their horses and chariots, killing anyone in their path. The blood flows and this King boasts about how many he has killed or how many he now has paying tribute to his majesty. Those family members of those who were killed by this King are not likely to look upon him with love- only contempt. Yet, this King does not care because he has control. I am reminded one Fresco that many of you who read this have probably seen.

It is the scene of an Assyrian King holding on to two captive kings with leather thongs through rings in their lips with sharp spear ready to gouge their eyes out. WE learn through their records, this is exactly what they did.

This is of course a gruesome site and we have difficulty imagining this kind of cruelty when we see it in a painting or fresco. yet with today’s television, a human life is merely something that can be snuffed out in a blink of an eye.

WE speak of the barbaric practices of ancient peoples who threw people to the Lions. Our society is really no different today- if it were, we would not have such violence and killings taking place on television and in the movie houses. In truth, human nature is so depraved, it seems to enjoy seeing killing. Again, I say if this were not true, then why so much of it on our screens for young minds to absorb. Hate, hate.

When I was drafted for World War 11, it wasn’t long before we learned that our lives depended upon our own ability to be able to kill the enemy. Our commanders, were so intent on our getting this message, that they showed us film of our enemies killing our own boys. This was of course to instill hate. After you saw several such films, you were indeed angry. The irony of this is, that you learn from prisoners of war. that their parents and brothers and sisters were praying for victory, they were praying for these prisoners to not be in harms way, for their lives to be spared. They were praying to the same God who our own families were praying to for our own safety.

I recall being in the barracks with one young man after his ordeal with the enemy. He woke everyone up at night screaming and sobbing. Why was he doing this. Because his conscious was speaking to him about the fact that he had locked Six German prisoners up in a pill box and thrown the key away. He was no doubt correct in assuming they died in that pill box as all the troop movements went past leaving them locked up. Even though these Germans had been his enemy, the realization that he had taken their lives in this manner was eating on him. Here was a man who had compassion for human life. I was not part of this scenario; I only witnessed the behaviour of this man after he had come back from the combat. I witnessed many terrible and tragic events connected with men from the battlefield in the tank corps, in the aireborne divisions. in the infantry. The expressions on their faces told too much. They were still haunted by the stinch of death all around them. Why? all because of a few politicians who have intensive hatred for mankind- and through adroit manipulations were able to lull a whole society into following them into mass killings. It is as we know, demons at work who bring about this kind of hatred with tragic results.

I spent several months as a buddy of a man who had spent much of his time attached to the General who was called “Blood and Guts, General Patton,. These men went through a hell on earth if there ever was one. It took several months for this man to be fit for society again. What a wonderful day it was, when I was witness to his wife meeting him after almost 4 years absence.. Gracie was her name. The service furnished him living quarters off base for a few weeks before finally giving him discharge- with me as his best buddy, I got to see first hand how intensive the opposite of hate can be. How this couple loved one another. How Leonard valued the life he had been spared to live. The same spirit was with his wife Gracie. How sweet and precious was life to these two. I corresponded with him for several years through three children up to age 15 for the oldest. Somehow we lost touch overthose later years through each us moving. He said to me many times. I guarantee there were no atheists where I was. For him personally, it was only by the Grace of God that he came home in one piece- even though and 88 shell took part of his fatigues with it.

When I see young people today who take for granted the freedom they enjoy or those who protest against actions of men in service,. I feel sick. It is mankinds enemy who is doing all the dirty work on both sides of whichever war it is.

One of the most foolish inexplainable situations we see in our modern world is the inability to have peace with close neighbors. I am thinking of Ireland with these words. This hatred between these two factions over there has been going on for centuries. It strains our language to think of a word to express this hate. Diabolical comes to mind which means fiendish. What can be worse than tossing flaming objects toward your fellow human beings and

setting fire to their homes. What can be worse than having automatic weaponry firing bullets into your loved ones and leaving mangled bodies in the streets. The only excuse these people have for their enemity is Catholicism verse Protestantism. This thought brings us back to the origins of problems within the human family.

Let us think about our civilized society where we live now and think of what we know about it and how we came to be here. We have a purpose here- How we handle ourselvs in this great conflict between good and evil, will determine how we spend eternity. May we set our eyes on that place where there is no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain. It will be a place of eternal security with the one who created us. We are heirs to His Kingdom in the land of eternity- where we can not even imagine of the wonderful things He has prepared for us. It is sad that too much of humanity is making the wrong choices- May those who read this and including myself make the right choices. ####

All Aboard

All aboard– BY Dewey MaggardEvery child when I was growing up- loved the sound of the Steam Engine as it was coming near them especially at the old depot where they may be meeting friends or relatives.
Here is part of that memory.

All Aboard
By
Dewey Maggard

Two thousand people with railroad fever converged on our depot to get a glimpse of her,an excursion out of the past all dressed up in black and orange enamel with silver and nickel trim. Old Engine No. 4449 is on a run from Portland, Oregon to the New Orleans World Fair. Many people waited up to four hours to see her go thundering by- a temporary revival of a past era.
The first steam locomotive I saw came to our town one Independence Day, bringing hundreds of people eager to see the launching of a hot air balloon. The balloonist did not capture my young mind, as did that steam locomotive. That huge iron horse seemed to be a living thing, making its own power with coal and water; throwing up black smoke and blazing smoke and blazing sparks. The thing could breathe, snort, cough and belch!
As I grew into boyhood, Mighty Katy (the Missouri, Kansas, Texas Railroad) came thundering by on her way to a wonderland of adventure. The blast of her whistle echoed through the woods in the nigh to tell one and all that the fast freight was making the hump with full head of steam, and would soon be thundering through Mound Valley.
There was magic when steam was still king. To my young mind there was no end to the track. This horse of fire and steel, always smoking, steaming, pounding and clattering, was rolling on and on to the edge of the world and the end of time. This magic of my mind allowed these trains to pass into a land of imagination where rivers flowed through canyons of rock candy and other wonders were everywhere.
But boys grow up, and the world becomes a place for toil and sweat. But even men have dreams. The magic evolves into a need for ingenuity, Every invention, innovation and improvement which aided in the development of America came about as a response to some need-from the cow catcher to the whistle. At one time a grasshopper plague in Pennsylvania resulted in so many squashed insect bodies on the rails that the engines lost traction. So sand boxes were added, with pipes to funnel the sand in front of the drive wheels.
In 1835, Phineas Davis won $4000.00 from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for designing an improved locomotive. John Poor made an epic trip to win a railroad franchise to Montreal, Canada. He set up horse relays to break a 300-mile trail in 18 degree below zero weather between Portland, Maine, and Montreal. His line, the Grand truck Railroad is at the time of this story, still operating after 132 years. Commodore Vanderbuilt continued building railroads until his death at 86.
Through the work of courageous men, a network of rails helped bind a nation together. Dutch, Irish, Chinese, and all manner of men worked toward a common goal. It was not without difficulty, but the work was accomplished. A golden spike was driven to celebrate linking the east and the west by rail.
From the beginning our heavenly Father has been binding together a nation of special people. He is leading us away from Egypt and our own wilderness of difficulties and bringing us into the land of eternity. Having ridden on the wheels of life, and perhaps being shaken by a derailment or two, we yet see some dreams become reality. It is somewhat painful to see the steam engine once so familiar become relics of the past. Nevertheless, we continue our journey to a better land..Through the night with the light from above, Over the mountains, oer the prairies, Oer the ocean, white with foam, God Bless America, my home sweet home. The bell is ringing! All Aboard!
© 1984 & Jan 10 2001
First rights only-
Book Rights Reserved

Where the Buffalo Roam

THE TRUE SYMBOL OF AMERICA

Where The Buffalo Roam By Dewey MaggardIts a fact! This land of ours was such a place and I as a lad saw the remnants of it. On the way to my Grandmothers in that dear land of Oklahoma, we passed by Pawnee Bills Old Home Trading Post.Surrounding his trading post within a stones throw of Pawnee, Okla, was his beautiful ranch with a herd of 80 or so buffalo grazing about–always together in a herd. However, at his ranch headquarters, he occasionally kept his choice bull buffalo in a corral behind the trading post. As any youngster might do, I would climb on the fence (a big rail fence), where Big Buff was leaning and would get the thrill of running my hands through that large mane of wool near his massive head. He seemed tame enough in the corral, for I was always able to pet him. Kids today have done the same thing at Casa-de-Fruta near Hollister, California where a Buffalo is kept in a corral.Well, this experience had an effect on my early assessment of the government and coinage. While basking in this glory of Americana personified in the form of a Big Buff, our government had the audacity to put the likes of Thomas Jefferson on a nickel. Now, at that tender age, I was mystified. What did I care about Thomas Jefferson or Monticello on a coin. After all, didnt we have the Indian-Buffalo nickel? Truly, the first true Americana (I now think), which we have ever had. Mind you at this time in the early 30’s, there were still quite a few Liberty Nickels in circulation. That is the first coin my Grandmother gave me, and I treasured it long enough to buy a double dipped ice cream cone with it at our corner drug store. On those marble top counters with the swivel stools- you know the kind; We would swirl around while enjoying the delights of ice cream. It was not until 1950, after my service years, that I came to appreciate the Buffalo Nickel as a work of art. This was the year of the Jefferson 50-D nickel. When I learned through a fellow, this nickel was worth a big 2.50 per roll as soon as they were released from the mint. My head went swimming. This is unreal!, I say to myself. This friend says to me, If you ever do anything smart in your life, you will buy all the 50-d nickels you can get your hands on. Well, by the time I was able to acquire my first roll, they had climbed to $30.00 per roll in uncirculated condition; next roll was $50.00, then $90.00 at each successive increase. I eventually was able to acquire 12 rolls of these coins having quit buying at $290.00 per roll. When they reached $800.00 per roll, I unloaded. In the mean-time traded some into $3.00 Gold pieces at $150.00 Trade value for the gold at that time. Well, you see, I never really liked the Jefferson Nickel, (that other nickel). It was not something of beauty as I thought of the buffalo nickel, as is evidenced by the drastic low prices of today for a whole set in uncirculated condition. This scenario caused me to devote my attention to Ancient coin collecting when everyone else was burning up for all this modern generic stuff, not to say they cant be fun. But, my Ancient collecting won me some first place prizes and a third place in the CSNA – (California State Numismatic Association) – Coin shows. I believe years were 1966 and 1967 James Frazier was the sculptor responsible for the design of this nickel. He used 3 indian men as models for the composite you now see on this nickel. Their names were Three moons, Standing Tree and Iron Tail. One (3 Moons was a Cherokee Chief) The Bison or Buffalo on the reverse of this coin was in the Chicago Zoo. Mr Frazier had heard of this majestic creature resulting in his going to Chicago to study his subject and get his pattern which you now see on this nickel. The Buffalo was called Black Diamond. Take it from this collector, As great as Alexander the Great Gold Staters appeal, in my opinion, there is nothing to take the place of that piece of Americana..the Buffalo(Indian) nickel. Oh give me a home..where the buffalo roam! They can have their pie in the sky! ### Copyrighted 1997 All Rights Reserved.. Please do not copy-paste to send by email without authors permission. Please honor copyrighted materials.

Trail of Tin

Trail of Tin
By
Dewey MaggardThe topic of metallurgy does enter into the realm of numismatics. The composition of a coin can settle some interesting questions. It can also validate serious historical questions. I will address both the interesting element of the question and the historical, and what may be gleaned from this combination.
My interest in this subject was aroused when I was able to acquire a “Brass” Dupondius of Agrippa (12 B.C.), a first generation of this kind of coin. This is a first use of the metal ‘tin’ for the Romans at least in coinage. Please note, our early authorities and scholars used the term brass interchangeably with bronze. Both, rightfully say you must have tin for your finished product. Twenty five (25%) Tin was used to get the desired hardness of the brass/bronze. The reason for this
Confusion in the uses of the word brass or bronze lies in modern technology because “Zinc’ which is used to get Brass- was not discovered until 1746. Therefore in reference to the ancient Dupondius of this time period please be content with the word Brass. You will find such eminent men as Zander H Klawans using this term.
The introduction of this alloy at this time shows to us through Numismatics in the Dupondius that it has the INTERESTING aspect I spoke of. It reveals these Ancients were quick to see the advantages of a harder metal. One they could put to great use. The harder metal would serve for use in their war machine, chariots, swords, shields and other uses.
The advantages of having this valuable element of Tin explain a great deal. Namely, why at this particular point in time with its appearance of the Dupondius of Agrippa in 12 B.C. the sudden interest in the Brits>
Up until his reign, their interest was in Gaul- (across the channel) and no attempt had been made to occupy Briton. Yet for the next two generations, we see this new yellow metal included in Imperial Rome coinage. Indeed, this means a peaceful CO-existence and trade agreement was in force between the Brits, or (Celts) and (Druids). The Romans were content right up until 43-47 AD
Because their Tin supply was coming in per trade agreement with the Brit Chieftans.
But, as history reveals, political turmoil and unrest had arrived for the Pagans in the form of Christianity. This new concept was a threat to Imperial Rome.. Christianity was seeping into its heart and soul. Imperial Rome saw a threat with a continual infiltration of Christians into Briton. Concurrently, we are seeing open hostilities against Christians in Palestine. To the Pagan Roman mind, Christianity is creating too many problems. We see how the Romans used the force of their power to attempt to quell these rebels.
Let me introduce a tremendous new surprise of what these Romans did with the tin from Briton. Under Emperor Tiberius 13 B.C.-37 A.D., they incorporated the use of this Tin with copper for a new water valve SEE IMAGE This valve is very little different from many used in our own time. With a million people inhabiting this city we can imagine a tremendous need for water. This Brass/Bronze water valve provided the ability of cuttng waste by two-thirds. More importantly, for the Imperial Government, it provided revenue to help pay for the TIN.
Here is how it was done. A brass nozzle fitting from the valve to a lead pipe was stamped as to its size releasing the flow of water. If you lived in an upper class size house, you had a 2 inch valve control; a middle sized house, you had a 1 and ½ inch valve control; and average or poor class, you had a 1 inch valve control. This was all done with connections to wood and lead pipe.. The image herein pictured was taken of a valve from the Palace of the Emperor himself (Tiberius) located on the Isle of Capri. As the owner of one of the homes, you paid yor taxes according to the bore of the pipe.,
Is it not strange that right up until the advent of Christianity, Rome and Briton were at peaceful coexistence. As it excitingly turns out, the Brit Chieftan or king if you will obviously had control of the raw materials of tin and copper of which Rome was in much need of. This Tin trade for Briton had been going on long before the Romans presence and from this we can only guess at the great wealth these Chieftans and the King possessed.
The name of the primary Chieftan or King has was Caracatus (he also had another name) We can easily place him among the wealthiest of his day. In fact, his power and prestige with the Romans (before the Christians) enabled him to have a Palace in Rome itself. The maintenance and care of this palatial second home was in the care of his daughter by the name of Claudia. This is the same Claudia who housed Paul during his time under house arrest. The power of Caracatus could explain why Paul had such freedom in Rome during his time there. This Claudia is among those named in 2Timothy 4:21 as sending greetings to Timothy from Rome. Linus, was a second son of this Caracatus and was also of this household and named as one sending grettings to Timothy. Two others whose names were Eulubus and Puden were mentioned. Obviously as converts, these folks mentioned here through the graciousness and prestige of Caracatus made regular trips to and from Briton and gained converts along the way..
There appears to be as much as 6 years between the arrival of Paul in Rome and their beginning to take Vengence against Caracatus, and all because his family had become Christians. Caracatus embraced Christianity before he was finally subdued by the Romans at Anglesey in Wales where the copper holdings among the Welch and Druids. After Caracatus made his surrendere in 47-48 AD,in Wales, it was another two generations before Emperor Trajan and Emperor Hadrian could claim a strong foothold on Ancient Briton soil.
We also know from the Historian Tacitus, this great man Caracatus was able to address the Imperial Senate of Rome about 8 years after his defeat. This then is yet another evidence of the power and prestige this man had held. It does appear that in consideration of his influence with his successors back in Briton, the Romans were not anxious to kill him or his family. However, we see very soon after Nero had this household along with Paul all killed, a serious revolt once again broke out in Briton in the area of Iceni in 61 A.D. Another chapter where the Brits finally had to submit to superior numbers..
The Triad of the apostle Paul’s teachings most certainly left its mark on the entire Gentile world of his days. And into our own time. We merely touched on it.
Until another time and place, who knows where the Trail of Tin can lead us?
I hope you have enjoyed following some of these mysterious threads of history with me.. If you have enjoyed this article , I welcome your comments.
Dewey Maggard
All Rights Reserved..

Where are the Men?

Where are the Men?
                                                              By
                                                     Dewey Maggard

In recent years, we have seen a tremendous increase of women in all phases the business world,local and federal government and armed services. We see them as Fire chiefs, and Police officers, even as prison Warden’s  and most recently, Speaker of the House of Representatives.   Some of the more conspicuous places is in the Media, and  Televesion news reporting. We see them in many of the prestiguous magazines as editors. We see them as C E O’s of corporate business.  Also we see them in the higher education positions as school Principals, Superintendents, and Secretary of Education. Where do we not see them?  When announcements must be made from government agencies, and various institutions,  most often, the spokesperson is a woman.  How did all of this happen?

From all of the above, one could t hink there is an inherent compulsion among women to be in a position of rulership.  I say this due to  current elation in speeches by women in our government referring to their great victory- and the long hard road to their gains in our government houses.  The House of Representatives has just elected Nancy Peolosi to be their Speaker of the House.  This of course is hailed by the various women’s organizations as a great victory.  Now I must ask, why do they speak of this as “Victory” ?  It almost seems that the women have been waging a war for power. It is most obvious that women can and do play important roles in most every facet of our daily lives.   Yet, I believe there is a terrible paradox in this realm of women in professional and/or normal work place. In many instances they have filled the gaps from the loss of our men in wars. 

 There are several key elements in the paradox where it is true that too many women have become victims of economic forces. Many women haven chosen to be independent as the job markets have become more prone to engage women. This has led the younger women to become career seekers.  Consequently they see no reason to begin a partnership where there is dependency on a man.. These forces have evolved over a period of several years,  Easy credit no doubt is a main culprit.  For example, I can remember when couples were required to have a third down to buy a home. – The war came along, and women began to go to work. It wasn’t long before the banks began to allow the incomes from both couples to qualify for a home.  The depression had taken a heavy toll-due to lack of buying power- Now that easy credit came into existence, appliances of every description became available and the race was on.  By that I mean, it began to require both incomes in order to have all these wonderful new inventions.  So the mother, the housewife began to feel the pressure to help pay for all of this.  Then, the beginning of World War Two began the exodus of women from the home to the work place. In the process, children began to suffer and become victims. They became subjected to baybsitters and part-time parents. The husband began to feel the pressure because Mom simply wasn’t able to carry the load she had been doing previous to all  of the “new utopia”  The husband and father’s role had not changed; He was in the middle caught in a vice.  The vice was now debts brought on by this new easy credit.  The economic reality was simply too much for too many: breakdown and divorce followed.  .

 Divorce had been relatively rare until then- when the divorce rate began to climb dramatically.  Homes were broken up and the children were now the victims through no fault of theirs. Everyone in the family became a loser.  America the beautiful began on a downward spiral. We have seen too many of the young  becoming drug addicts, alcholics, prostitutes with trials in all the vices. Also where there was no broken family, children became the oppressors of their parents.  Many parents actually paid their kids to hit the streets- gave them money to get them out of the way.  This was prevalent especially during the 1960’s and has continued.   Many readers will be able to relate to these facts.  One could easily see a mass exodus of the young hitting the streets and the parks. Travel along any isolated coastal and mountainous regions and their camp sites were all too visible .

Where close-knit families once existed and where familes sat at their evening meals together and where prayer was offered at the dinner table now became a past event.

From what we have seen of the above in recent times, and what we are seeing in the present, it is most obvious that the men of our families are a vital and necessary part of our lives. As important as Mom, the mothers or housewives are,we readily see it is the man-husband and/or father who is the protector. When he has a devoted wife who is mother of his children, usually, It is he who will lay down his life for his family .
It is because of the brave men of our predecessors that we enjoy what freedoms we still have.  It is he who went to war to protect his loved ones.  Modern warfare has created a place for women in the armed forces and this can be seen as filling certain non-combatant gaps. Yet, I for one do not wish to see any of the women in my family anywhere near the front lines in any capacity. They are not the ones who go out on patrol-who meet the enemy in house to house combat or who advance along side of tanks in a raging battle.  So yes, they can fill a certain need as has been shown- but let’s not make a career out of the armed services.  One of the reasons, so many women enter the services is for educations which the government offers to pay for. It is their hope to gain a career- to be independent. Too often, the women who make careers in armed forces usually can not become an integral loving part of a family partnership.

 We are living in an age of too much liberality- where everything goes. Our society is not serious about the consequences of the immorality,  I don’t know about you dear reader, but I am sick of the daily televised newscasts where all they have to report is crime in all it’s aspects. Almost everyday, we are told of murders, rapes, burglaries , drunk divers embezzlements, illicit behaviour in elected leadership-and the list seems endless.
 
In conclusion, none of this need be too surprising to the serious student of the bible because much of the above mentioned is foretold.  We read in the King James version of our bibles- in Isaiah 3;12 as follows;  ” As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them, O my people, they which lead thee cause the to err and destroy the way of thy pathes.” We may not like what we just read- but it does appear to be an integral  reality of our times.

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Reason to Believe

Reason to BelieveByDewey Maggard

I can think of nothing more tragic than people who have allowed themselves to scoff at those of us who believe in God. In recent times there appears a tremendous number of people on Television or in the Media and in our universities who discount or deny God as our Almight Omnipotent Creator. No longer do we have the “old fashion” concepts about God. No, God has been replaced by science and technology. We are living in the age of increased knowledge. Science is merely the accumulation of knowledge and or the experimentation into whatever strikes the fancy of these “scientists” Our scientists have become imbued with “knowledge” through this experimentation. When we look at achievements or inventions of the past, we find that many of them have been done through experiments. All the inventions of Thomas Edison which we enjoy were all done through thousands of experiments. So we may ask ourselves the question,why is it that humanity makes “science” a god.

An example of the scoffing scientist is one where End Times were being discussed on television. Examples of increased activity in volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, and other topics were mentioned as having been foretold in our bible. That there would be these things come upon us in the last days. Then the man dubbed as a scientist- jumped in and said there is no scientific evidence to validate this. Why? because mankind has experienced these calamities since the beginning of time.- Another favorite way these scoffers employ is to say there is no archeological evidence to support thus and thus. We are thus living in a confused society because these same people are demanding proof; demanding black or white.

A favorite way these so-called scholars use to deny the validity of the bible is to say certain prophecies were written after the fact. This is so flimsy and demonstrates their ignorance of the bible. There are numerous examples of prophetic statements in the bible that are true. Overlooked is the fact that it doesn’t really make any difference as to when it was written- it is still fact today. This fact alone is enough for people of faith in God’s word. For example, Jesus said to his diciples that the temple would be destroyed and not one stone would be left unturned. Before this statement was made, Jesus had told his disciples through John 14;29. “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.” God said he was going to destroy Tyre and gave details as to the appearance of the place after its destruction. He said fishers would spread their nets on some of the ruins. We know that Alexander the Great and his army was the instrument God used to Destroy tyre. Yet an interesting twist to the fate of this city. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had laid seige to this place for 13 years without destroying it or capturing the people. Later on, we find a verse where the Lord has said, I will give the spoils of Egypt to my servant Nebuchadnezzar as a prey for the service he did against Tyre. He said Nebuchadnezzar would spread his pavillion there.(om Egupt) We know through archeology exactly where his pavilion was set up. We also know that Egypt was for centuries a mighty Kingdom. God said, He was going to make them the basest of nations- and we see that this happened.– It does not matter when this was written- this prophecy became fact.

Another striking example of prophecy has to do with the destruction of Babylon. God foretold exactly how the city would be taken. He even mentioned the two-leaved gates would be opened before the new King Isa 45;2. We know that Babylon was eventually destroyed. God said, it would be a desolate place where not even an Arab would pitch his tent therein. In 1952 a group of Archeologists were visiting the site and wished to do some work within the boundaries of old Babylon. They tried to hire Arab workmen to come with them within the boundaries and were astounded that no amount of money or persuasion would entice these Arabs to help them. Here is what God had said before the destruction;

“It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their folds there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.” Isaiah 13:20,21

With these few examples and there are many others, the obdurate reprobates are without excuse in their disbelief of God’s word. There are those who point at the ugly stories in our bible as if to validate their own misbehaviour. Here again, God tells it like it is- or like it was. He is showing us the evil nature of mankind throughout the pages of biblical history. He also shows us the consequences of their despicable acts. I use this word despicable because this behaviour is what we are seeing too much of today. Unfortunately being brought into our living rooms sometimes before we have time to realize the sudden appearance of immoral scenes. Or some scene showing people in the sex act. Unfortunately, there are Television executives who want to give audiences a steady diet of this deplorable conduct. It does appear the evil people in our midst far out number the good, consequently smut and anything goes can be marketed. This was not true a few years ago. During my life time, I have seen the insidious evil creep into the books in our Libraries, into our schools, into our very homes through television.

You can not argue with science, these elite of our society have gradually gained a foothold into the heart of all disciplines. HOwever, if you will use your Bible as your textbook, you shall readily see the how distorted these people have made the truth.

Life on Mars?

Isn’t that just dandy? The space trotters are telling us once again -they “think’ Life is on Mars.  Do you remember–at the time of Presidential elections of 2000, the same story made head lines?  Why?  Here is what I think!  These outerspace wizards need more funding- or want more funding. If these people are so intent on having life on Mars, then let them hop the space shuttles to deliver them on Mars: then let them colonize Mars.  Then it can be said there is life on Mars.–Now once there, don’t allow any of them to come back to earth- as they do not fully appreciate life here on earth. If they really did, then life on Mars would be just so much melarky as it is with most of the people I have spoken with.  We need to be concerned with life here on our own earth.  It appears to be senseless to try and persuade these inteligent people that if our Omnipotent Creator had intended life to be on Mars, then there would be life on Mars. He created this earth to be inhabited- (Read it in your bible;Isa 45:18)

 Yet these, hopeful planet jumpers  have good reason to believe their budget may be cut. They simply can’t reason with this. After all, they become accustomed to have a life style that they believe places them as a public hero. They are the darlings of today’s society. They love the attention the media gives them. 

You want to solve the social security problem.  Then let us cut NASA or at least  90 percent of their agenda.  The money that is used for Space Exploration affects the national budget.  The budget committee has had no problem with dipping into Social Security funds.  It is well known and admitted by the White House that Social Security funds have been tapped over a period of several years.  The Social Security funds are or should be sacred- they are placed there in trust.  We citizens would be prosecuted if we dip into funds that are held in trust.  For example, as an employer, the amount of money you withhold from your employees is money held in trust to be dispensed to the Federal Insurance Contribution Funds (Social Security) or your Withholding tax is to be dispensed to the treasury for Income tax purposes.  The F.I.C.A. funds have nothing to do with Income Taxes. Yet these funds are all disbursed through the use of one quarterly form designed for use by the IRS.  Those funds belong to the people whom they were withheld from. On the other hand, the funds designated as Withholding Taxes belong to the Government by reason of whatever current tax laws are in force.  

John Q Public needs to let this government know in no uncertain terms that we do not approve of our government spending billions on the space exploration program.

.Copyright  Mar 2005