“A Book of Books”: Writing the History of the Church in “One of the Most Important Eras of the World”©

It is interesting how one’s reading in various books sometimes converges. At the moment I am reading three books. The first is the latest book by former General Relief Society President, Julie Beck, called Joy in the Covenant; the second is Kent Richards’, Family of Faith, which reproduces excerpts from the journals of three Apostles in the same family–Willard Richards, Franklin D. Richards, and George F. Richards; finally, the third is the new history Saints.

I have a teenage granddaughter in Virginia who is a reader and recently we decided to read Saints together and discuss it. To help her appreciate the importance of reading the history of the Church in her youth, I shared with her a quotation from sister Beck’s book. The context for the quotation  is that sister Beck relates the background of the writing of the history of the Relief Society, Daughters of the Kingdom. When she became general Relief Society President, her presidency felt the need to get a clear vision of the purpose(s) of Relief Society. They engaged in a lengthy study of available sources about the history of Relief Society. It gave them the sense of purpose and vision they were looking for. That led to the notion that others could benefit from what they learned. About that time the First Presidency assigned the Beck presidency with the task of producing such a volume for the women of the Church. In the course of telling that story she wrote the following, which I shared with my granddaughter:

At one point we were given some research indicating that individuals who know and understand Church history are much more likely to be faithful in their spiritual observance and to have a greater sense of identity in the Church.(1)

This statement resonated with me, not only because I was trained as a historian in graduate school, but because it has been true in my life, both in the sense of identity I feel with the Church and it has contributed to my desire to be a faithful member of the Church.  

Meanwhile, I have also been typing notes and quotations from Family of Faith. Apostle Willard Richards, served as a scribe to Joseph Smith, and as a church historian. He was responsible to gather, preserve, and write the history of the Church. After the Martyrdom and during the Exodus from Nauvoo this was not an easy task. A number of entries in his journal pertain to this effort.  For example, on 15 November 1845 he dictated an “Epistle to the Saints” to be read the next day in the Sunday meeting in Nauvoo. In it he called upon missionaries and members to provide him with knowledge and documents in their possession pertaining to  events in Church history. He was looking for “Books, Maps, Charts, Papers, Documents, of every kind, name and nature, and all information that may relate to, or have a bearing in any wise upon the History of the Church....”(2) 

Apparently he received a lot and storage proved to be a problem. Just a year later at Winter Quarters he wrote in his journal that he called upon Bishop Whitney for some packing boxes for the records because he had no place to keep them but in the bottom of his wagon. Unfortunately the Bishop gave him no encouragement.(3) The matter came up again a month later. On 17 December, Richards journalized:

Dr. Richards [himself] spoke of the bushels of papers, now in his possession that are not now filed, & of the need of a place to gather them & arrange them for future history. A man must have his mind free, who writes a history that is to last for time & thro’ all Eternity, & not burthened with other cares. W. Woodruff says this is a subject that will benefit the whole Church & Kingdom of Go– [sic] when I heard Joseph speak I could not rest until I had written it down in black & white–I am now in one of the most important eras of the world–the people ought to keep a strict eye upon the historian–I feel deeply interested in the books out of which I am to be judged–it is the duty of High Counsel to let the Dr. have a box to put the papers in, to find wood, beef &c–this is to be a book of books–I rejoice that we have a ready writer–let the Dr. go to work & save the Church History.(4)

This gem has a lot packed in it.  In sum the following points are significant to me:

• It is admirable that Willard Richards is magnifying his calling and continues to seek help from others to do it. But think of it all in a greater sweep–the sweep of the history of mankind. There may be other refugee peoples of which I know nothing, who amidst all the trials of fleeing danger, concerned themselves with gathering and preserving records so a history could be written.  But generally those things come after the fact. Here, amazingly, Richards is doing it on the trail!  Richards’ vision?  He was to write a history that was to “last for time and through all eternity”!

• This, of course, was initiated by and consistent with a revelation given the day the Church was organized, in which the Lord said in the first verse, “Behold, there shall be a record kept among you....”(5) Oliver Cowdery was the first Church historian, but in March of 1831, John Whitmer was called when D&C 47 was received.  Later the job fell to Willard Richards.

• History matters in religion.  History matters for faith and commitment. The Lord knows all of this and therefore provided for a history to be kept from the first day of the Church’s existence in this the last dispensation. So, isn’t it logical that the Savior would have given similar instructions to the leaders of his Church in his generation? Perhaps that accounts for the alleged document “Q” that many scholars believe was the source for the canonical gospels. Be that as it may, history matters to Christianity.  It is a historical-based religion.

• Wilford Woodruff was and is an international treasure, because he had a magnificent vision of the importance of the early history of the Restored Church–it was to be a “book of books”!  But he also did so much to preserve our history, including at this moment in a refugee camp, to sustain Willard Richards and his work as Church historian.

• Woodruff knew he lived “in one of the most important eras of the world,” with one of the most important prophets who ever lived, and the Spirit put a fire of discontent in him so that he could not rest until Joseph’s teachings were preserved. In many ways we owe much more to him than to John Whitmer, who seemed to be not only uncertain, but almost indifferent about his calling as Church historian.

• Woodruff knew that the Book of Revelation teaches that we will be judged out of the “book(s) of life” which shall be kept; therefore, he took a “deep interest in the books out of which I am to be judged.” So much so, that he thought Willard Richards should have what he needed–boxes to preserve the records, time to work with them and write, and he thought we should be grateful to have a “ready writer.” What a refugee-pioneer!  What a vision!  Thank God for men like Willard Richards and Wilford Woodruff!

Well, this brings us to the new first volume of a projected four-volume history of the Church, entitled Saints. The presiding brethren are urging all members of the Church to obtain a copy and read it. So they can, the cost is kept to a bare minimum. But how can those non-English speakers in the international church follow this counsel? Ah, the book is to be translated into 25 languages.(6)  Think of that. There have been two previous multi-volume histories of the Church, but neither one of them were available on this scale. So, many, if not most in the international church have had almost nothing on the history of the Church available to them. Now for the first time people in the entire Church can learn of its amazing history. If sister Beck and Wilford Woodruff are correct, and I believe they are, that  translation effort is a most significant event, one consistent with the list of other things the Lord has recently done to strengthen the Church as mentioned by Elders Bednar and Ballard.(7)

Let's think together gain, soon.

Notes:  

1.  Julie B. Beck, Joy in the Covenant: Reflections by Julie B. Beck, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2018, 47.

2.  Willard Richards, journal, Saturday, 15 November 1845, cited in Kent F. Richards, ed., A Family of Faith: An Intimate View of Church History through the Journals of Three Generations of Apostles–Willard Richards, Franklin D. Richards, and George F. Richards, 1837-1950, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013, 70-71.

3.  Ibid, under date of 7 November 1846, p. 101.

4.  Ibid, 17 December 1846, pp. 102-103.

5.  D&C 21;1.

6.  Interestingly, Sister Beck said that Daughters in My Kingdom, was being translated into 25 languages, including English Braille. See, Beck, Joy in the Covenant, 52.

7.  See, David A. Bednar, “Gather Together in One All Things in Christ,” Ensign (November 2018): 21-24. Elder Ballard gave a similar list when he spoke to a regional conference for stakes in northern Utah and southern Idaho, Sunday, 28 October 2018, which is available online at:

https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/utah-north-multi-stake-conference-broadcast?lang=eng.

Cinnamon: for Ants (Repellent)

How to use cinnamon to get rid of ants around the home and garden.

1. Cinnamon is a wonderful spice which has been used for thousands of years in cooking and herbal medicine.

2. Ants are a common pest around the world and invade our homes at any opportunity. They are attracted to food sources especially those which contain sugar.

3. Cinnamon can be used to get rid of ants by simply purchasing a large quantity and sprinkling all over ant paths.

4. We recommend sprinkling cinnamon powder around doorways and windowsills to prevent the ants from infecting the home. Ants hate cinnamon and are repelled by its odour. 

5. An easier option is to purchase cinnamon oil and spread around these areas. This provides the same effect without any visible powder laying around.

6. You can pour cinnamon powder into ant hills and locations where the ants are crowding together. This will repel them over time. 

7. Be sure to not place cinnamon powder on grass as it can unbalance the Ph level of the soil causing the grass to die.

8. To completely prevent ants from invading your home, try to follow them and find locations where they are entering the home. 

Then simply generously coat the area in a golden cinnamon powder, or apply a thick coat of cinnamon essential oil.

9. To learn more about natural home remedies and pest repellents, please see our other videos. 

Licorice Powder: Benefits & Uses

The health benefits and uses of Licorice Powder.

1. Licorice powder is made from the dried and ground roots of the licorice shrub. It was used by the Ancient Egyptians and a herbal medicine and was found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen.

2. Licorice has a very distinctive sweet flavour and is commonly used to flavour candied sweets in Europe and around the world. It is also very popular in Chinese medicine.

3. The Chinese use this herb to treat a variety of different problems. It is well known to increase energy levels and promote well being. It does this by stimulating the adrenal glands to produce healthy doses of adrenaline.

4. It can be used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome as it has a positives effect on the glands throughout the body.

5. One of the most popular methods is using licorice powder for skin whitening in India. The powder is mixed with flour and milk to produce a lightening face mask, which creates a fair skin tone in around 10 days.

6. Licorice powder is an excellent source of the plant hormone oestrogen. These balance out the body for women with menopause or menstrual cramps.

7. The powder is also applied to the skin to treat psoriasis and eczema. The powder is added to a gel formulae and is evenly distributed  where skin problems are present. 

8. Another popular use for this herb is to treat coughing. It is excellent for cold a respiratory problems as it promotes mucus drainage, and lubricates the respiratory tract. 

It is often added to cough mixtures and cough sweets for its wonderful soothing abilities in the throat and chest. 

9. It is important to not take too much licorice as it can deplete potassium levels. We recommend eating a healthy diet filled with raw salad leaves and vegetables to keep your potassium levels high during a cold.

10. Studies have shown that licorice root can supress the toxic bacteria called H.Pylori which is a growing problem in the West.

11. You can take licorice powder in the form of capsules if you wish. This has been shown to sooth gastrointestinal problems, such as food poisoning, stomach ulcers and heart burn.

12. Licorice Root contains glycyrrhizic acid which can be used to treat peptic ulcer disease, and gastritis.

13. Over time, this herbal powder can lower stress levels as it supplements the adrenal gland and helps everything work the way it should. This promotes healthy levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. 

14. Many Chinese practitioners use licorice as a form of cancer treatment for those with breast and prostate cancer. 

15. To learn more about health powders and natural remedies, please see our playlist at the end of the video. 

How To Remove Eye Bags (20 Minute Natural Remedies)

How To Remove Eye Bags in 20 Minutes Using Natural Remedies

1. Eye bags are a common problem for many people. The appearance of dark puffy skin can make you look tired and aged. 

It can be difficult to feel energetic and fresh when the eyes appear droopy or with dark circles.

2. Eye bags are caused by many different problems such as stress, fatigue, a poor diet, makeup, smoking or mobile and computer screens. 

3. The good news is that there are many natural remedies to reduce and get rid of eye bags. In today's video we will share with you 10 remedies to try at home.

Remedy 1: Sliced Potato

Refrigerate a potato until it is cool and slice into circles. Close your eyes and place the potato circles over the eye bags and eyes. Relax for 20 minutes to allow the potato juice to soak into the skin. The eyes bags will be diminished and appear lighter in color.

Remedy 2: Baking Soda Paste

Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a little water and apply to the eyes using a cotton pad. This increases blood flow and reduces fluid in the puffy skin. Allow it to sit on the skin for 20 minutes before washing.

Remedy 3: Tea Bags

Steep 2 teabags in hot water for 5 minutes and then allow them to cool. Place over the eye bags for 20 minutes. You may wish to wrap a towel over these to keep them in place. The tea works to reduce swelling and inflammation within the skin.

Remedy 4: Cucumber

Cucumber can be sliced into circular pieces and applied to the eyes. This has a hydrating effect which helps your eyes to feel less tired, and reduce the effects of bags due to their astringent properties. 

Remedy 5: Egg Whites

Whip some egg whites to make them into a stiff white paste and apply to the eyelids and bags using a soft brush or cloth. The skin will tighten as the remedy becomes effective. 

Remedy 6: Vitamin E Oil:

Add a few drops of vitamin E oil to a bowl of cold water. Apply to the skin around the eyes using a cotton pad. This remedy is very popular as it has a longer lasting effect on keeping eye bags at bay.

Remedy 7: Himalayan Salt

Mix a tablespoon of pink Himalayan salt to 1 litre of water. Stir well and apply this mild saline solution by soaking the mixture into cotton pads, and apply to the eyes. This will remove water retention from the skin. 

Remedy 8: Cold Spoons

Place 4 stainless steel metal spoons in ice water for a few minutes. Hold the back of a spoon against each eye and keep switching them with the cold spoons to keep them chilled. The cold causes the puffiness to retract, leaving your eyes looking refreshed.

Remedy 9: Aloe Vera Gel

Apply fresh aloe Vera gel to the eye bags using a cotton ball. It contains 18 essential amino acids which help to soothe tired eyes and provide relief for eye bags. It also helps to treat wrinkles. 

Remedy 10: Witch Hazel

Apply witch hazel and it's astringent properties help to reduce swelling and redness. Chilling this before use, provides extra relief from eye bags.

4. As you can see there are a range of home remedies which you can use to remove eye bags. Try some of these remedies to see which works best for you.

5. If eye are bags are a consistent problem, then this may indicate that your kidneys are not healthy. In order to cure this all together you must first improve your diet.

Eating at least 5 cups of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, and sea kelp will boost your potassium in order to improve liver function.

If you eat too much meat, this may also be causing your eye bags, as the kidneys struggle with too much protein.

Replace high amounts of meat with healthy fats such as butter, extra virgin olive oil, coconut or avocado oil. 

6. Alcohol is one of the main causes of eye bags. Be sure to remove this from your diet entirely for a healthy body, with healthy eyes, skin and nails.

7. Apple cider vinegar can be taken on a daily basis internally to improve kidney function and therefore remove eye bags from within. 

8. To learn more about nutrition and natural remedies for the skin and eyes, Please see our other videos. 

Punarnava Powder: Benefits and Uses

The health benefits of Punarnava Powder also known as spreading hogweed. 

1. Punarnava Powder comes from a flowering plant in the four o'clock family. This has been used to make a herbal medicine used for pain relief and more.

2. Ayurveda, and ancient Indian system of healing has used punarnava for thousands of years.

3. It grows in many warm climates around the world including Africa, Asia, The Caribbean, South America, The South pacific and North America. 

4. This powder can be used internally to purify the body and treat various problems. 

5. One of its main benefits is to improve the function of the kidneys for those with kidney problems. This also acts as a blood thinner for those with high blood pressure.

6. It provides treatment for inflammation throughout body such as painful joints, toothache and water retention.

7. Punarnava has been used to stimulate the nervous system during on the early onset of paralysis.

8. It aids in the smooth flow of urine for those with urinary tract problems. It has also been shown to prevent the formation of kidney stones.

9. This herb also acts as a liver cleanser and helps to treat disorders such as hepatitis, jaundice, anaemia and anorexia. 

10. Recent studies have shown this to improve immune response for cancer patients. It contains compounds from the root of the plant which inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells. 

11. The cleansing effects of this powder allow to be used to fight obesity and aid in weight loss. Becoming healthy internally usually results in a healthy amount of weight loss for your body type. 

12. Extracts from the leaves of this plant have been used to lower glucose levels for those with diabetes. 

13. The roots of the plant are usually used to make this wonderful powder. You can also purchase punarnava extract from health food stores and online. 

14. A paste made from this powder is often applied to skin diseases such as acne, eczema and pigmentation in order to clear them up effectively.

15. Always consult and a doctor and perform your own research when using Ayurvedic herbs, as many are extremely powerful. 

16. To learn more about health powders and natural medicines. Please see our other videos.

Neem Powder: Benefits and Uses

The health benefits and uses of Neem Powder.

1. Neem Powder has been used for thousands of years as a natural medicine. It is made by drying and grinding neem leaves, also known as Indian Lilac.

2. This wonderful powder can be taken internally to treat stomach ulcers and acts as a blood purifier and healer.

3. Neem powder is often mixed with water to make a paste, in order to treat skin disorders. 

It is a natural toner and moisturiser and works to treat acne, scars, blackheads, warts ringworm, eczema and psoriasis.

4. The antibacterial properties of neem, allow it to be applied for a large variety of medical conditions. This can include treating a dry scalp, head lice, dandruff and hair loss. 

5. Neem powder can be infused with water and used are a skin and muscle relaxant. Simply soak aching muscles, the feet scalp, and other body parts to enjoy neem's anti-inflammatory effects. 

6. Neem is not only antibacterial, but it is also anti-fungal, antiviral and anti-mutagen. It is therefore a powerful cure for many illnesses such as intestinal worms, eye disorders, leprosy, diabetes, gum disease and liver problems. 

7. The leaf is not the only part of the tree that is used. In fact over 140 compounds have been isolated from the different parts of the neem tree, for use in all kinds of treatments and products.

8. Neem Oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree is a natural flea treatment for animals, which also calms itchy skin.

9. When the powder is made into a paste with water, it can be applied to the skin to help burns to heal faster. It also disinfects the skin, protecting it from infection.

10. One teaspoon of neem powder can be added to healthy smoothies. These have an anti-carcinogenic effect and have been scientifically shown to neutralise the effects of cancer causing substances.

  

11. It also works to destroy intestinal worms and parasites which may be living in the digestive system. 

12. Neem powder can be mixed with moisturising creams and applied as a natural insect repellent. 

13. It can also be used when brushing the teeth as a natural cure for gingivitis, gum disease and mouth ulcers. It destroys harmful bacteria in the mouth which causes plaque.

14. In some countries neem leaves are used to induce abortions, so pregnant women are not advised to use neem internally.

15. To learn more about herbal remedies and natural cures, please see our other videos. 

A Living Philosophy: Character and Real Life©

In my reading this week I came across Marshall Field’s “Twelve Rules For Success.” Field knew something about the subject. He was one of the more successful businessmen of his time. He started the famous Marshall Field company in New York City. Here are his “Twelve Rules.”

1. The value of time.

2. The success of perseverance.

3. The pleasure of working.

4. The dignity of simplicity.

5. The worth of character.

6. The power of kindness.

7. The influence of example.

8. The obligation of duty.

9. The wisdom of economy.

10. The virtue of patience.

11. The improvement of talent.

12. The joy of originating.(1)

I like this list! There is a lot to think about and implement in one’s life that will help in making that life a success by most any definition of the word. 

But, I want to call your attention to something which I think is important. Note how many of the things in the list involve character traits:

Perseverance

Character

Kindness

Example

Duty

Thrift (economy)

Patience

Creativity (originating)

Eight of twelve, or three-fourths involve important character traits. The other four: valuing time; work; simplicity, and talent, grow out of elements of one’s character. However, Field’s list, as good as it is, is incomplete. There are other virtues such as those stressed in the Beatitudes in the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount, and in 2 Peter 1 which should be added to Field’s list.

Below are four quotations culled from a large file on the subject, that illuminate the importance of character in various ways; the last of which can be considered almost “prophetic”:

DAN COATES:

Character cannot be summoned at the moment of crisis if it has been squandered by years of compromise and rationalization. The only testing ground for the heroic is the mundane. The only preparation for that one profound decision which can change a life, or even a nation, is those hundreds of half-conscious, self-defining, seemingly insignificant decisions made in private. Habit is the daily battleground of character.(2)

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON:

... I am conscious of the fact that mere connection with what is known as a superior race will not permanently carry an individual forward unless he has individual worth, and mere connection with what is regarded as an inferior race will not finally hold an individual back if he possesses intrinsic, individual merit. Every persecuted individual and race should get much consolation out of the great human law, which is universal and eternal, that merit, no matter under what skin found, is in the long run, recognized and rewarded.(3)

THEODORE ROOSEVELT:

Every great nation owes to the men whose lives have formed part of its greatness not merely the material effect of what they did, not merely the laws they placed upon the statue books or the victories they won over armed foes, but also their immense but indefinable moral influence upon the national character. It is not only the country which these men helped to make and helped to save that is ours; we inherit also all that is best and highest in their characters and in their lives.(4)

JOHN LUTHER:

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift.  Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece--by thought, choice, courage, and determination.(5)

SAMUEL SMILES:

[W]hen the time arrives in any country when wealth has so corrupted, or pleasure so depraved, or faction so infatuated the people, that honor, order, obedience, virtue, and loyalty have seemingly become things of the past; then, amidst the darkness, when honest men–if, haply, there be such left–are groping about and feeling for each other’s hands, their only remaining hope will be in the restoration and elevation of Individual Character; for by that alone can a nation be saved; and if character be irrecoverably lost, then indeed there will be nothing left worth saving.(6)

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:  

1. Earl Nightingale, This Is Earl Nightingale, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1969, 56.

2. Dan Coates, "Points To Ponder," Reader's Digest, (June 1996):252. 

3. Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery, New York: Bantam Books, 1963, 28.

4. Theodore Roosevelt in, Reader's Digest, (November 1993):146.

5. John Luther, in Arthur F. Lenehan, (ed.), Leadership, (April 1994):3.

6. Samuel Smiles, Happy Homes and the Hearts that Made Them, Chicago: U. S. Publishing House, 1889, 87.

Valuable Things that Get Lost in Modern Philosophy and Culture©

(Revised, 13 December 2019.)

There's a tendency to throw aside old values as belonging to an earlier generation. Don't discard those values that have proven, over the period of time, their value. Just believe in those values that made our nation great and keep them: faith, family, hard work, and, above all, freedom.  --Ronald Reagan.(1)

In earlier blogs I have expressed concern that many people today, almost without question, accept the modern world’s philosophies as superior to anything that has gone before. In my view this bodes ill for not only the immediate future, but for subsequent generations as well. Materialism, hedonism, and secularism with their attendant subsidiary doctrines dominate modern culture and much good is left behind and lost.

This concern surfaced again this week as I’m just finishing an interesting book about True Success: A New Philosophy of Excellence, where I encountered two examples of things that are being or are already lost, though this is not the author’s main point. The first draws a distinction between personality and character. Tom Morris wrote:

Character is the moral core of personhood.  It ought to be thought of as the foundation of personality. As Stephen Covey and others have begun to point out in recent years, too much of the success literature of our century has been personality-oriented when it should have been character-based. A beautiful house built on a bad foundation cannot provide for secure and stable long-term habitation. Nor can an attractive personality veneered over a bad character provide for any sustainable and fulfilling form of success.(2)

The evidence of this retrograde situation surrounds us. One example, a ubiquitous example–is the near worship of the “celebrity culture.”  It is one that emphasizes externals of personality and largely ignores the interior matter of character. In recent months the “Me too” movement has begun to expose the shallowness of the veneer and the emptiness of the soul of some considered to be celebrities. Alas, that is only one aspect of a much larger problem arising from the emphasis on personality at the expense of character.

The second example comes from the following observation about the culture of winning so prevalent today.

Everybody wants to be a winner. Nobody wants to be a loser. It was once the worst kind of insult and severest sort of condemnation to be called a scoundrel, a cad, a louse, a liar, untrustworthy, unscrupulous, unethical, immoral, or just plain evil. In more recent days, the most dreaded affront and reproach seems to be “loser.” A label to be avoided at all costs. The lowest of the low. The realm of outer darkness.(3)

Interestingly, both of these examples come from a chapter about character and its role in success.  

I am only an amateur and part-time sports fan and I prefer college to professional sports. My two-cheer commitment to sports is due in the main to the nearly total commitment to winning at all cost, including cheating if necessary. Consider how often one observes “holding” penalties in football.  The rules clearly make holding an opponent while blocking a violation. Every act of holding is intentional. There is no “inadvertent holding.” I know this is true because I have played the game. Every act of holding is cheating. Yet we frequently hear announcers, commentators–color and otherwise–as well as coaches and players ignore, dismiss, or rationalize this obvious cheating.

This is just one of many examples of cheating found in football. Another example, which some may consider petty, is that universally ball carriers after they are tackled push the ball out ahead of where they were tackled, hoping the refs will “spot” the ball there. It almost never works, but apparently it works enough so that virtually every ball carrier does it to add more yardage than actually achieved in the run. This is an obvious and very observable attempt to cheat.

“A little thing” the avid fan says. My response: it is cheating and that matters. This is my problem with what is happening today–the casual dismissal of “little” efforts to cheat. Cheating seems to be accepted in most sports if one can get away with it, because as the mantra goes “winning is the only thing.” The situation is exacerbated in  “big money” sports where an economic motive contributes to the “win at any cost” mentality.

Reading in August 2019 brought two additional things that modernity has taken from us, or is taking from us to my consciousness.  They are, 1) freedom of speech is gravely threatened, and 2) pornography has robbed the generations since 1960 of sexual purity, thought purity, speech purity, innocence of children exposed to it readily on the Internet and elsewhere, and a whole lot more. Laws, liberal philosophy, attempts to mold culture and society, and most contemporary religions have proved impotent before both of these losses. I believe Harry Emerson Fosdick has the right answer. Regarding free speech he wrote in the early 1950s,

Nothing that we call progress will reverse that trend--only the restoration in us of our father's love of independence and liberty, their belief in freedom to think, and their determination in a democracy to say what, by God's grace, they see fit to say about the public weal.

And about pornography:

Nothing that we call progress will get us out of that--only the re-emergence in us of something old: self-respect, decency, disgust at things contemptible and low, public revulsion against panderers who grow financially fat on the exploitation of vice.(4)

Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen argued that such losses happen because we have forgotten “the purpose of life” and replaced it with the idea of progress. Here too, we are confused and mistaken, because much of what we call progress can simply be "change without purpose". Thus we can confuse “a step forward with a step in the right direction.” That is, progress is considered good regardless of it’s direction, or what may have been forgotten, left behind, or jettisoned in it’s pursuit.  Progress, in this case, is it’s own purpose and goal, but may be largely misdirected, with the result being unsatisfying, unfulfilling and ultimately unrewarding if not inimical.(4)

Character, honesty, integrity, and fairness are just a few of the abandoned casualties in today’s modern philosophies and culture. I urge you to take such examples seriously and to be skeptical in a healthy way about the contemporary notion that the old is passe and whatever is new is superior. This is especially true regarding today’s erroneous equation of personality and character. Be wary of the popular notion that progress is inevitably good.  It may be retrogression dressed in the flashy fashions of sloppy, untested, and uncontested philosophy, especially if it encourages or contributes to forsaking much good that is old, simply because it is old.

Let’s think again together, soon.

Notes:

1.  Ronald Reagan, in Elizabeth Dole, comp., Hearts Touched With Fire: My 500 Favorite Inspirational Quotations, New York: Carroll & Graff, 2004, 96.

2.  Tom Morris, True Success: A New Philosophy of Excellence, New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994, 218.

3. Ibid, 219.

4.  Both quotations come from: Harry Emerson Fosdick, What is Vital in Religion: Sermons on Contemporary Christian Problems, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1955, 164, bold emphasis added.  What makes Fosdick's arguments all the more interesting, is that he is a progressive liberal, but in these and other cases he is arguing for a conservative position--the return to earlier philosophies and values that have also been jettisoned by recent generations.

5.  See, Fulton J. Sheen, Freedom Under God.  Washington, D.C., Center for Economic and Social Justice, 2013, chapter 3, “True Liberty,” pp. 19-28.  This book was originally published  by the Bruce Publishing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1940.  I thank my friend Jim Smith for bringing it to my attention.

Eating Lechi Every Day Brings A Face to The Face And Symptoms Of Increasing Age Are Less Visible.

Lechi is a major fruit of summer. It is also very beneficial for health as it is sweet and lush in taste. In litchi, carbohydrate, vitamin C, vitamin A and B complex are found in abundance. Apart from this, mineral such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron are also found.

Benefit of lichi

Eating lechi every day brings a face to the face and symptoms of increasing age are less visible. Apart from this, it also works to encourage physical development. However, keep in mind the time of the leeches that it can be very harmful to food. Eating too much lechi can cause itching, swelling and difficulty breathing.

Benefits of litchi eating:

1. Beta carotene and oligonol-rich lychee are helpful in keeping the heart healthy.

2. Lychee cancer is helpful in preventing cells from growing.

3. If you have got cold, then lechi consumption will be immediately benefited.

4. Litchi is also used to prevent asthma.

5. Lechi is also used for relief from constipation.

6. It is also beneficial to use litchi to reduce obesity. Along with this, it also works to boost the immune system.

7. Litchi food will also be beneficial for smoothing sex life.
Litchi has a considerable amount of water. It is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium and natural sugar. Its consumption balance the proportion of water in the body, causing the body and stomach to cool down. As well as keeping the digestion correct, it also plays a major role in the development of the brain. Let's know about these 8 big advantages of Litchi ...

Good digestion: Vitamins present in litchi are essential for the formation and digestion of red blood cells. This helps to store beta carotene in liver and other organs. Folate controls the cholesterol levels in our body. It keeps our nervous system healthy.


Treasure of Health: Lechi is not eaten as a fruit, its juice and shake are also very liked. Litchi is also used for garnishing jam, jelly, marmalade, salad and recipes. Small litchi contains mineral salts like carbohydrate, vitamin C, vitamin A and B complex, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, which make it very beneficial.
Immunity increases: Lychee is also a good antioxidant. Vitamin C contained in it also helps in the formation of blood cells in the body and the absorption of iron, which is essential for maintaining an immune system. Beta carotene, riboflavin, niacin and folate are found in large amounts in the production of leukemia in the production and digestion of blood cells.


Assistant to lose weight: Lichi takes care of figure as well as our health. There are large amounts of soluble fiber, which is a good way to reduce obesity. Fiber is helpful in digesting our food and helps prevent internal problems.

Beneficial for stomach: Litchi intake is beneficial to recover from mild diarrhea, vomiting, stomach disorders, stomach ulcers and internal inflammation. It reduces the effect of harmful toxin in constipation or stomach. Relief from kidney stone stomach ache relaxes.

Major sources of energy: Lechi is the source of energy. Lychee is very beneficial for those who feel fatigue and weakness. The niacin contained in it creates essential steroids and hemoglobin for our body's energy.

Supports water: Leechy juice is a nutritious liquid. It removes problems related to the summer season and cools down the body. Lichi supplies water to a balanced proportion in our body.

Prevention of cold and cold: Litchie is a very good source of vitamin C and prevents the spread of cough, cold fever and throat infection.

Strawberries Are Said to be One of The Most Attractive Fruits, Hardly Anyone Has Objection

If strawberries are said to be one of the most attractive fruits, hardly anyone has objection. The good thing is that it is such a fruit which children love too, or most children escape from far away.

Very similar to the size of the heart, these fruits are very fragile. In taste it is light sweet and light sour. These fruits of red-colored red are extremely juicy. Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds are on the outside. You may be surprised to know, but there are 600 varieties of strawberries found in the world, whose tastes, colors and sizes are very different from each other.

 

straberry ke fayde

You can also take strawberries as a salad in addition to eating. If you want, you can also remove its juice. Many people like to take it as shake, smoothie and ice cream.

There are several major vitamins and salts in it. There are many benefits associated with its health, but it is also an absolute remedy for refinement. It is found in adequate amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and. In addition, it is also filled with calcium, magnesium, folic acid, phosphorus, potassium and dietary fibers. Good thing is that it does not have sodium, cholesterol and fat.

It is a fruit that contains salicylic acid, which is helpful in reducing the appearance of many forms.

Use strawberries to refine your look:

1. To reduce the symptoms of increasing age

Vitamin C and anti-oxidant present in it are helpful in reducing symptoms of aging age. The lycopene present in it works to clean wrinkles and fine lines of skin. If you want you can take advantage of it by eating strawberries or by making a paste with milk, you can use it as a mask on face.

2. To brighten the tone

There are many types of minerals in strawberries that help to improve skin color. Apart from this, it is also an effective solution to make these black lips pink. If you want, you can use it as a scrub. Its mask is also very beneficial for color reducing.

3. For the problem of nail-acne

Strawberries are also used to get rid of the problem of nail-acne. By using this pores open, causing the toxic substances present in the inner layer of the skin, and the dirt of the face becomes clear. Due to the cleaning of dirt, the problem of nail-acne is also removed.

4. To Clean Dead Skin

Dead skin is very easy to clean by using strawberries. Dada Skin becomes clearer due to the cleanliness of the face and gives a glowing skin.

5. To whiten teeth

Vitamin C contained in it is very beneficial to maintain the brightness of teeth. Using strawberries, teeth are cleaned naturally. The white shiny teeth beautifully make four faces.

Due to excessive antioxidant and polyphone strawberries are good foods to keep your heart healthy. Strawberries contain anthocyanins which are responsible for their red color. It helps in protecting the circulatory system by controlling blood pressure. By which the arteries are saved from plaque buildup.

According to research, women who eat strawberries regularly are less likely to suffer from a third heart attack. You can take strawberries to keep your heart healthy.

Strawberries with antioxidants and ellagic acid help slow down digestion of starchy food. Strawberry starch regulates blood sugar after eating. This diabetes type helps in controlling the amount of sugar in 2-odd patients.

The glycemic index is low in strawberries. Fiber present in strawberries also helps control blood sugar level.

Use of strawberries to strengthen bones is beneficial. Strawberries contain potassium, magnesium and Vitamin K, which help in bone strength. Regular intake of strawberries helps keep bones strong and healthy for long periods of time. Calcium is also good in strawberries, which makes bones strong and healthy.

Due to the presence of copper, magnesium and manganese, strawberries are beneficial for our hair. These elements of strawberries help to reduce fungal growth on your scalp. Strawberries contain folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B7, which helps in controlling hair fall and making hair thicker. For your hair you can prepare strawberry masks at home. Using strawberries, add tea tree oil in it and use it in your hair and wash it with clean water after one hour. Your hair will become beautiful and brighter.