Twice Freed: Slavery, Freedom, and Forgiveness

Author: Patricia St. John Publisher: Christian Focus Publications Onesimus wanted what any young boy wants: fun, adventure, travel, love, and most of all, freedom. Unfortunately, Onesimus's life did not include any of these things. Instead, he was a servant to the wealthy Philemon and his family. Sure, his life was not as hard as it could …

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Falling into the Slough of Despond

Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk they drew near to a very miry slough, that was in the midst of the plain; and they, being heedless, did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the slough was Despond. Here, therefore, they wallowed for a time, …

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Hymns: Before the Throne of God

Charitie (Smith) Bancroft was born June of 1841 in Dublin, Ireland. Her father was a Reverend at the Colebrooke Church in Dublin, and her "talent for poetic composition" arose early in her life. Charitie's first poems and hymns were published before she was even twenty! Outside of her writing, little is known about her life …

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Hymns: “Go to Dark Gethsemane”

"Go to Dark Gethsemane", a traditional hymn of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, was written by James Montgomery. Montgomery was born in Scotland in 1771. He worked as a newspaper editor and wrote around 400 hymns and poems during his life. Another well-known hymn of his was "Angels from the Realms of Glory". Though he …

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Forgiving the Unforgivable

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and children and all that he …

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