God at Harvard?

From the beginning Harvard was dominated by followers of God.  Check out the following from the first student manual:

Laws and Statutes for Students of Harvard College
Harvard College Lawes of 1642 (from New England's First Fruits)
1. When any Schollar is able to Read Tully or such like classicall Latine Author ex tempore, and make and speake true Latin in verse and prose suo (ut aiunt) Marte, and decline perfectly the paradigmes of Nounes and verbes in the Greeke tongue, then may hee bee admitted into the College, nor shall any claime admission before such qualifications.

2. Every one shall consider the mayne End of his life and studyes, to know God and Jesus Christ which is Eternall life. Joh.17.3.

3. Seeing the Lord giveth wisdome, every one shall seriously by prayer in secret, seeke wisdome of him. prov. 2.2,3 etc.

4. Every one shall so exercise himselfe in reading the Scriptures twice a day that they bee ready to give an account of their proficiency therein, both in theoreticall observations of Language and Logicke, and in practicall and spirituall truthes as their tutor shall require according to their severall abilities respectively, seeing the Entrance of the word giveth light etc. psal. 119,130.

5. In the publicke Church assembly they shall carefully shunne all gestures that shew any contempt or neglect of Gods ordinances and bee ready to give an account to their tutors of their profiting and to use the helpes of Storing themselves with knowledge, as their tutours shall direct them, and all Sophisters and Bachellors (until themselves make common place) shall publiquely repeate Sermons in the Hall whenver they are called forth.

6. they shall eschew all prophanation of Gods holy name, attributes, word, ordinances, and times of worship, and study with Reverence and love carefully to reteine God and his truth in their minds.

7. they shall honour as their parents, Magistrates, Elders, tutours and aged persons, by beeing silent in their presence (except they bee called on to answer) not gainesaying shewing all those laudable expressions of honour and Reverence in their presence, that are in uses as bowing before them standing uncovered or the like.

8. they shall be slow to speake, and eschew not onely oathes, Lies, and uncertaine Rumours, but likewise all idle, foolish, bitter scoffing, frothy wanton words and offensive gestures.

Harvard College Laws of 1700
(Source: Cotton Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana,Volume II)

A Good Reason

The reason for what we have is to give evidence of who He is.  

How interesting that the conversations concerning Christian stewardship  tends to turn to 'how much should I give?' or 'Is the tithe really biblical or just another form of legalism?'  Both of these are good questions in the right context, but God simply sais in scripture it is all His.  So these questions, though good to explore in context of how we live in this fallen and broken world need to be thought about and answered in order to live in peace as His children.  However, 'if the reason for what we have is to give evidence of who he is' that changes things doesn't it?

Shallow People

I am more convinced than ever that what passes as a 'deep' person in our culture would have been seen as 'shallow' in centuries past. In the past week I tried to get away and spend some quality time in renewal and I got several emails, three phone calls and couldn't stop thinking about my 'need' to return what turned out to be inconsequential phone calls. Lord help me become a truly deep soul.