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Tang Jie served the Lord zealously for nearly forty years and expected the return of the Lord Jesus eagerly all the time. Having given up her family and her career, she established many house meeting places. As the work of the Holy Spirit shifted, the church became desolate gradually. She tried every possible way to revive it, but in vain. During this process, God’s gospel of the last days came upon her church. To “defend the Lord’s way,” she wrote a pamphlet to fabricate rumors against, slander, and attack Almighty God’s work of the last days, and sealed her church to hinder the believers from listening to the messages. However, increasingly more believers returned to Almighty God. At the end of her tether, Tang Jie fell into misery, confusion, and helplessness….
11 years is a long time to be in Second Life! I can't say its always been easy, but I have met some of the most amazing people in the world. Last year for my 10th Rezday my computer was broken. This year my computer broke on my rl birthday 2 days before my Rezday. I thought for sure I was going to go another year without being with the people I care about most on this special day. I thought wrong. My child drove here to bring me her laptop and ended up staying the night. I found out that there was no way to save my laptop which had been with me since April of 2013. Although I am sad that I had to let go of a close friend *LOL* My parents and the computer guy worked out a deal and I was blessed with a refurbished computer.
Throughout these 11 years I've been through heartache, pain, and betrayal. I've been dragged through the dirt, my name slandered, Stalked by ex's, and made to feel like I was worthless. I've also learned who I am, I've learned how to love myself, and that family is not just blood its the people who stand by you and hold you up when you don't have the strength to stand on your own. I've had friends who will wake up at 4am and talk to me through nightmares or through scary moments, or even those lows of just being alone. There will always be people in the world that hate you, but there will always be people who love you just the way you are.
Thank you to all of my SL Friends and Family who have been by my side for the past 11 years. I look forward to many more years with you all. <3
Belgian postcard, no. 11. Photo: MGM.
American actress and singer Ann Blyth (1928) was often cast in Hollywood musicals, but she was also successful in dramatic roles. Her performance as Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Ann Blyth was born in 1928, in Mount Kisco, New York, to Harry and Nan Lynch Blyth. After her parents separated, she, her mother and her sister moved to a walk-up apartment on East 31st Street in New York City, where her mother took in ironing. Blyth attended St. Patrick's School in Manhattan. Blyth performed on children's radio shows in New York for six years, making her first appearance when she was five. When she was nine she joined the New York Children's Opera Company. Her first acting role was on Broadway in Lillian Hellman's 'Watch on the Rhine' (1941-1942). She played the part of Paul Lukas's daughter, Babette. The play ran for 378 performances and won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. After the New York run, the play went on tour, and while performing at the Biltmore Theatre in Los Angeles, Blyth was offered a contract with Universal Studios. Blyth began her acting career initially as "Anne Blyth", but changed the spelling of her first name back to "Ann" at the beginning of her film career. She made her film debut in 1944, teamed with Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan in the teenage musical Chip Off the Old Block (1944). She followed it with two similar films: The Merry Monahans (1944) with O'Connor and Ryan again, and Babes on Swing Street (1944) with Ryan. She had a support role in the bigger budgeted Bowery to Broadway (1944), a showcase of Universal musical talent. On loan to Warner Brothers, Blyth was cast 'against type' as Veda Pierce, the scheming, ungrateful daughter of Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945). Her dramatic portrayal won her outstanding reviews, and she received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Blyth was only 16 when she made the film, for which Crawford won the Best Actress award. After Mildred Pierce, Blyth sustained a broken back while tobogganing in Snow Valley, and was not able to fully capitalise on the film's success. She recovered and made two films for Mark Hellinger's unit at Universal: Swell Guy (1946), with Sonny Tufts, and Brute Force (1947) with Burt Lancaster. During this time her father died. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer borrowed her to play the female lead in Killer McCoy (1947), a boxing film with Mickey Rooney that was a box office hit. Back at Universal, she did a Film Noir with Charles Boyer, A Woman's Vengeance (1948). She was then cast in the part of Regina Hubbard in Lillian Hellman's Another Part of the Forest (1948), an adaptation of the 1946 play where Regina had been played by Patricia Neal. The play was a prequel to The Little Foxes. Blyth followed it with Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948) with William Powell. She was top-billed in Red Canyon (1949), a Western with Howard Duff. Paramount borrowed Blyth to play the female lead in Top o' the Morning (1949), a daughter of Barry Fitzgerald who is romanced by Bing Crosby. It was the first time she sang on screen. Back at Universal, she was teamed with Robert Montgomery in Once More, My Darling (1949), meaning she had to drop out of Desert Legion. She did a comedy with Robert Cummings, Free for All (1949). In April 1949, Universal suspended her for refusing a lead role in Abandoned (1949). Gale Storm played it.
Ann Blyth was borrowed by Sam Goldwyn to star opposite Farley Granger in Our Very Own (1950). Universal gave her top billing in a romantic comedy, Katie Did It (1951). Blyth was borrowed by MGM for The Great Caruso (1951) opposite Mario Lanza which was a massive box office hit. She made Thunder on the Hill (1951) with Claudette Colbert and had the female lead in The Golden Horde (1951) with David Farrar. Then, 20th Century Fox borrowed her to star opposite Tyrone Power in I'll Never Forget You (1952), a last-minute replacement for Constance Smith. She appeared on TV in Family Theater in an episode called 'The World's Greatest Mother' alongside Ethel Barrymore. Universal teamed Blyth with Gregory Peck in The World in His Arms (1952). She was top-billed in the comedy Sally and Saint Anne (1952) and was borrowed by RKO for One Minute to Zero (1952), a Korean War drama with Robert Mitchum where she replaced Claudette Colbert who came down with pneumonia. MGM had been interested in Blyth since The Great Caruso. In December 1953, Blyth left Universal and she signed a long term contract with MGM. She was the leading lady in All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953) with Stewart Granger and Robert Taylor, stepping in for Elizabeth Taylor who had to drop out due to pregnancy. On television, she was in a version of A Place in the Sun for Lux Video Theatre alongside John Derek. Back at MGM, Blyth had the lead in the remake of Rose Marie (1954) with Howard Keel, which earned over $5 million but lost money due to high costs. She was meant to be reteamed with Lanza in The Student Prince (1954) but he was fired from the studio and was replaced in the picture by Edmund Purdom. The film did well at the box office. Blyth and Purdom were reunited on a swashbuckler, The King's Thief (1955). She was teamed again with Keel on the musical Kismet (1955). Despite strong reviews, the film was a financial flop. She was named for the female lead in The Adventures of Quentin Durward (1955) but was eventually not cast in the film. MGM put Blyth in Slander (1957) with Van Johnson. Sidney Sheldon cast Blyth in The Buster Keaton Story (1957) with Donald O'Connor at Paramount. Warner Bros then cast her in the title role of The Helen Morgan Story (Michael Curtiz, 1957) with Paul Newman. Blyth reportedly beat 40 other actors for the part. Even though her voice was more like the original Helen Morgan, her vocals were dubbed by Gogi Grant. That soundtrack was much more successful than the film itself. Blyth made no further films. In 1957, she sued Benedict Bogeaus for $75,000 for not making the film Conquest. From the late 1950s into the 1970s, Blyth worked in musical theatre and summer stock, starring in the shows 'The King and I', 'The Sound of Music', and 'Show Boat'. and also on television, including co-starring opposite James Donald in The Citadel (1960), an adaptation of A.J. Cronin's novel. She guest-starred on episodes of such series as The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Dick Powell Theatre, Saints and Sinners, The Christophers, Wagon Train, The Twilight Zone, and Burke's Law. Several of these appearances were for Four Star Television with whom Blyth signed a multi-appearance contract. Blyth also became the spokesperson for Hostess Cupcakes. Her last television appearances were in episodes of Switch (1983), Quincy, M.E. (1983) and Murder, She Wrote (1985). In 1985, she officially retired. For her contributions to the film industry, Blyth has a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6733 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1953, Blyth married obstetrician James McNulty, brother of singer Dennis Day, who had introduced them. After her marriage, Blyth took somewhat of a reprieve from her career to focus on raising their five children, Timothy Patrick (1954); Maureen Ann (1955); Kathleen Mary (1957); Terence Grady (1960); and Eileen Alana (1963).
Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Meet Hollywood Boulevard's biggest star attraction—Award Night Jem! The Academy Award season was approaching fast and the anticipation of the evening was felt by all as Jerrica and the Holograms gathered around the television set to watch the news report for “Best Actress” in a motion picture. After several minutes in, the nominees were announced and Jem was among a few who were nominated! Without delay, Jerrica and the Holograms leaped up in unison and couldn't regain control of their emotions as they cheered for their loving sister. The noteworthy news of her nomination traveled fast, prompting a highly publicized feature in Daily News Tribune, and Rock Scene Magazine, along with an appearance on the Harriet Horn show where she sat shoulder to shoulder with fellow nominees: Sigorny Reever, Meryl Saint and Geraldine Pathos. Harriet didn't waste one second firing up her grill to roast Jem on her acting abilities, and branded the Pop star as an unusual candidate for an Academy Award. Harriet then went on to claim that music suited her better than acting! Sigorny chimed in and actually complimented her acting skills, leaving the door wide open for Meryl to question Jem's studying credentials, for which Jem replied that she never studied formally and worked hard instead. Well, the grits hit the fan, when Geraldine lumped off of the couch and argued that Jem had the nerve to compete with actresses who have spent years at their craft! After Harriet caused a riff between Sigorny and Geraldine, the word came in from the producers that the entire airing of the show was the most watched broadcast of Ms. Horns career, and was also labeled the “Showdown of the Year” with Geraldine vs Jem. Content with the outcome of the night, Harriet closed the show with yet another successful roast. While on the set of her latest film, Jem received a telegram inviting herself and the Holograms to a party at French director François Trésor's mansion, in Beverly Hills. Kimber grew wide-eyed at the news, but Jem wasn't sure what to think considering her unfamiliarity with him. Still, she didn't want to pass up the opportunity to attend such a lavish soirée. Tinseltown's biggest and brightest descended on his 5,000 square front lawn, and also near the backyard pool, where most of the A-list actors stood around boasting about their latest accomplishments in film. Jem arrived on the arm of Rio, and Kimber was attached to Sean Harrison. The five entertainers were in heaven as they hobnobbed with the best of the best in the industry. Then François approached Jem from left field with an offer to appear in his new film. Flattered by his offer, Jem asked if he'd allow her to finish her prior commitment to Mr. Sands, but François declined and walked off in a fit of anger. Horrified by what occurred, but struck silly at the sight of Kimber and Sean sitting in the jacuzzi fully dressed and sipping wine, Jem decided to enjoy the remainder of her night and walked away with her beau. At just about a split sec later, Raya ran full throttle towards Jem and dragged her over to the pool where she witnessed François flouncing around with a group of news reporters who were attentive as he began lying and badmouthing her. It was Rio to the rescue, and the partygoers didn't waste time clearing a path as he walked over to the disgruntled director, picked him up and slammed him into the pool! Out of concern for François LIFE, Jem, secretly grinning at the altercation, grabbed Rio by the arm, and the two gladly walked away. In the weeks to come, Jem was hard at work on her Howard Sands production, and also found time to play bridesmaid to her younger sister, Kimber Benton. Unfortunately, the union between Kimber and Jeff was short-lived, and Jem—being the nobel sister that she is—stood by Kimber's side and dried her tears as she canceled her own wedding. After a chaotic week of events, Jem was finally prepared to screen her film, Starbright, at World Studios, and she invited a list of actors and entertainers to join her, including Hollywood's leading man, Flint Westwood. While standing in the entranceway of the theater room, Jem came face to face yet again with François Trésor and the two started up an argument regarding his reason for attending her premier. This time, Trésor rattled not only one cage, but TWO, as Rio and Flint, who were more than happy to defend Jem's honor, balled up their fists and growled for the miserable director to split or GET SPLIT! While inside, Jem walked on stage to present her film to an audience of fellow Academy members, but the atmosphere shifted, when an obsessed Trésor began slandering her name to an actress seated next to him, and got his sick thrills out of hooting and hollering through her introduction. Finally, the time had come for the 60th Annual Academy Awards and Jem was anxious, but she tried to hold it together while she waited outside on the steps of her mansion with her sisters. Kimber tried to ease the moment with a joke and it proved to work as Jem loosened up and giggled. Several feet away, a white limousine pulled up the driveway and parked at the doorstep. Eventually, the door swung open and out popped Rio, Anthony, an injured Sean...and Jeff Wright who was fresh off of his marriage to Kimber and was free to escort Aja and Raya to the ceremony. Jem and her entourage arrived to a sea of flashing lights, time-ticking cameras, and thousands of hyperactive fans all focused and taking notes on the appearance of her beautiful gown! The Goodyear airship scoped down on the star-studded event as Jem made her way up the red carpet with Rio happily glued to her hip. Inside, the show moved right along with multi-platinum recording artist Lena Lerner and her son Dominic presenting the category for “Makeup!” Kimber quickly grew impatient with the show, but promptly assured her sister that she's sure to win. Then Flint Westwood approached the podium to present the category for “Best Actress!” A hush fell over the room. Jem held her breath. Shana gripped Anthony's arm. Aja squeezed Raya's hand. And Kimber crossed her fingers as Flint read the nominees...only to discover that Jem didn't win! Disheartened by her loss to Geraldine Pathos, Jem lowered her head and applauded her foe as she sat paralyzed with sadness. While on stage to accept her award, the un-thinkable occurred, when Geraldine apologized to Jem in front of the world for her actions on the Harriet Horn show, and Jem was gracious enough to mouth the words “Thank You” to her adversary. She then raised one exquisite heel after the other and stepped forward to the powder room for a good cry with Kimber, along with several other Academy nominees. A minute later, outside in the lobby, Jem stood hand in hand with Rio and proceeded to exit the building...when suddenly, without warning, the consummate actress was approached by a member of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with news that she had earned her own celebrity star on Hollywood Boulevard! On that very day, it became clear to everyone that Hollywood Jem was eternal!
Integrity's Design Team has created, from one of my favorite episodes, “Hollywood Jem, Part Two”, an exquisitely unflawed gem that has now become a personal favorite of mine, and I am proud to grace my collection with her superstar presence! Award Night Jem actually started out as an ‘80s prototype doll, among a handful of other characters, but stalled early on before reaching the mass marketing stage. Personally, I regard both the prototype doll and the updated version as equitably attractive. Nevertheless, it's 2016, and we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Starlight Music's reigning songstress. This goes without saying, but there's NOT ONE FLAW AVAILABLE to critique! Her larger-than-life tresses are the equivalent to pink cotton candy as it too looks deliciously appealing! This time around, Jem chose minimal assistance from Synergy, and after selecting the perfect gown for her special night, she opted for her sisters to glam her up. So, Raya began the styling process on her hair, primping, teasing and tousling ever so lightly, and ending with a precise sweep to the side. And then, Kimber simultaneously rolled out Jem's makeup from the “West End Girls” collection and started off with a light application of pink highlighter, in “Causing a Commotion”, to her brow bones. Raya returned and proceeded with a fair amount of light purple eyeshadow, in “Little Lies”, to cover Jem's lids and lower lash lines, and finished up with a wide oval-shaped wing of dark purple eyeshadow, in “New Sensation”, pressed into the creases of her eyelids. Eager to contribute to her sister's joyous celebration, Shana stepped in and brought it all together with a thick, sharp, black wing across Jem's eyelids with her “Breakout” eyeliner, and then drew a heavy line on her lash lines and smudge it in oh so well! The end result perfectly showcases a strong allure that's guaranteed to captivate the inner soul of any man who stands before her. But there's really no need for Rio to concern himself with losing his glittering prize to another man because Jem's got eyes only for him! Aja took over and applied an even amount of “Paisley Park” lipstick and a few coats of “Perpetually Pink” lipgloss to wet her luscious, award-winning smile. She completed her work with a quick manicure of “Blossomed Petals” nail polish that's identical to the color of her gown, finally perfecting the touches needed for this momentous evening! And while I'm on the subject of her elegant gown, I have no damn choice but to declare the one-piece, rippling garment AN INCOMPARABLE MASTERPIECE! The structure is very impressive and spins my mind into overdrive every time I look at it! I mean, c'mon now, Jem became a Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient the same night while wearing it, so that only adds further sedimental value than originally intended. As she stands before a horde of shutterbugs, Jem shows off the details of this pink glamorous creation by running her fingers across the deep set of ruffles and widespread collar. She then swipes her index finger along the low-cut v-shaped collar of the gold bodice and shows off her thin gold belt with its fuchsia feather. Moving lower, she raises the floral-shaped bottom of her dress up to her knees while exposing her glittery light pink stockings for the paparazzi to immortalize on camera! Jem enjoys tantalizing the press by flashing her million dollar smile while playfully clapping her pink designer heels together as though she's experiencing a dream. There's a particular material used for these amazing heels and I'm not exactly sure what kind. However, I do know that I am crushing HARD on the style and color! I am also taken aback by the craftsmanship to her gold, star-shaped neck clasp. There's only one woman in the WORLD who could model a dress that's unlike any other around—in this case, a dress that's as beautiful as herself—and STILL stand out in a crowd of thousands as the most glamorous human being in attendance, and that is Jem!
I must pay my respects to the Design Team at Integrity Toys for this beautiful gift of art! You can clearly see the level of talent that went into designing this doll and it shows all over, from side to side, front to back, up, down and all around. To be perfectly honest, I am not concerned with rating/comparing her with previous or additional variations because I've now received this version here and she is hands down my favorite! 💐💝
Anna Rodney 1600-dsp 1630
Anne was a co-heiress of Sir Thomas Lake 1630, Secretary of State to James l by Mary daughter of William Ryther
Her sister Elizabeth m Sir William son of Sir Francis Stonor and Martha Southcote and grandson of judge John Southcote of Witham flic.kr/p/dRkJTR
He brother Thomas Lake 1653 m1 Dorothy
www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Px491v4th daughter of Sir George Manners 1573-1623 and wife Grace Pierrepoint www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/35p8S5
She m1 1615 William Cecil 17th Lord de Ros dsp 1618 heir of William Cecil Lord Burghley and 1st wife Elizabeth Manners, 16th Baroness de Ros of Helmsley 1591 heiress of Edward 3rd Earl of Rutland (he was the grandson of Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter by Dorothy www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0590mR daughter of John Nevill, 4th Baron Latimer flic.kr/p/4wtb9a by Lucy www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2316107831/ , daughter of Henry Somerset 2nd Earl of Worcester and second wife Elizabeth www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4967231950/ daughter of Sir Anthony Browne
It wasn’t a happy marriage from the outset not least because of William’s belief that Anne had been turned against him by her mother Mary Ryther Lake. It wasn’t long before Anne & her mother were blackmailing William about his alleged impotence in an attempt to get him to sign his land over to the Lakes. By August 1616 Cecil fled to Italy . The couple were separated. Her father Sir Thomas Lake now demanded a settlement for his daughter suggesting lands at Walhamstow that were already mortgaged to him.
Frances Cecil nee Brydges was William’s step-grandmother. She and William were virtually the same age. Mary Lake accused Frances of an incestuous and adulterous affair with William (even though they weren’t related by blood they were related by marriage) adding the Frances had tried to poison Anne because she knew about the relationship.
The matter ended up in front of James I who passed it on to the Star Chamber to deal with. The earl of Exeter, Thomas Cecil – husband of Frances, grandfather of William accused the Lakes of slander.
Anne’s brother Arthur Lake attacked Cecil due to Anne’s wounded honour and there was a plan for the two men to fight a duel but it never happened. Instead, Arthur nearly had to fight a duel with a couple of other nobles on account of hearing them joking about Anne. Ballad mongers and poetry makers of the period had a field day with the scandal. See www.earlystuartlibels.net/htdocs/lake_roos_section/J0.html .
The case was ultimately judged in 1619 after Cecil had died in Italy . The Lakes were found to have forged letters to ‘prove’ the incestuous relationship and a had been leaning on people to get them to support their claims. They were flung into the Tower and Anne Lake’s parents were fined £5000 each and before they were freed they & Anne were required to ask pardon of the king and Frances Cecil. Anne did what was required in 1619 but it was May 1621 before Mary Lake fulfilled the need to ask pardon.
Perhaps Sir Thomas wasn’t overjoyed when his wife was released. His biography on the History of Parliament website imparts the fact that there were rumours that he was the victim of husband battering.
Just when you think it can’t get any more scandalous her bother Arthur found himself being accused of incest with Anne
Anne m2 George son of Sir John Rodney and Jane daughter of Sir Henry Seymour & Barbara Wolfe (George was the brother of Sir Edward Rodney www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/kV08t3 )
Having married George Rodney, she made over her estate, which consisted of the Manors of Walthamstow, High Hall and Low Hall by three deeds to her husband before she died in early September, 1630, at the age of 30. It seems that after her death certain of her relatives made an attempt to challenge the legitimacy of these deeds. From his Deposition it is clear that Posthumus Kirton had been a member of George Rodney and his wife's household for some time, at least during the period of their marriage, and so was an important witness as to what had occurred. Three witnesses, including evidently two servants and an attendant, also gave testimony, while young Posthumus Kirton, of Westminster, gent., aged twenty one, stated that he knew Lady Ann Ros, and had heard her say several times that she was minded to settle all her property on George Rodney. Furthermore that he had actually seen the signing of two of the three deeds by her, and had served as a witness to them, and had seen the deeds actually sealed by her...............
Her effigy is thought to be the work of Dutch masons.
- Rodney Stoke church, Somerset
www.geni.com/people/Anne-Rodney/6000000002135468804 thehistoryjar.com/tag/sir-thomas-lake/
Thank you all my dears Flickr friends for your sweet comments! I do appreciate them very, very much
Cymbeline Loreena McKennitt
Fear no more the heat o' th' sun
Nor the furious winters' rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' th' great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke.
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor th' all-dreaded thunder stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.
No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come hear thee!
Quiet consummation have,
And renowned by thy grave!
Lyrics by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
My Books:
My book "Discover GUIMERÀ" (preview)
My book "Discover SANTA PAU" (preview)
In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure
Tina Modotti, an Italien Photographer in Mexico, 1896 – 1942
Photograph on the altar taken by famous photographer Edward Weston (1886-1958).
YOU GOT TO READ THIS STORY...... if you have time:
While Tina Modotti is most known for her high-profile romantic relationships, including Diego Rivera and the American master photographer, Edward Weston, she is also seen as one of Mexico’s first in a line of important women photographers, particularly her photographs of peasants, women and children and political iconography.Tina Modotti (1896 – 1942) was born in Italy and immigrated to the United States in 1906. For seven years, she worked in a textile factory before joining her father in 1913 in San Francisco, where she worked as a seamstress and dressmaker. By 1920, Modotti had embarked on a Hollywood film career and began an intense relationship with Edward Weston, who would make a number of famous portrait and nude studies of her.
On a trip to Mexico in 1922, she met the Mexican muralists, including Frida Kahlo, and became interested in the cultural renaissance that was taking place. Dissatisfied with her film career, she persuaded Weston to leave Los Angeles and move to Mexico to teach her photography. Soon their Mexico City home became a renowned gathering place for artists, writers and political radicals. With this inspiration and energy around her, Modotti made photographs that achieved a remarkable synthesis of artistic form and engaged social content.
In 1929, Modotti was framed for the murder of her Cuban lover who had been gunned down while at her side on a Mexico City street. Because of her strong socialist political opinions and Communist Party affiliation, she became a scapegoat of government repression as she was publicly slandered in a sensational trial before being acquitted. Expelled from Mexico, she would move to Berlin and then to the Soviet Union, where she would abandon photography for political activism. In 1939, she returned to Mexico and would die three years later of heart failure.
=================
Here is a fabulous Portrait of Tina Modotti by Edward Weston: artblart.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/edward-weston-tina-m...
You can Google for both of them, very interesting stories (((:
WoW.... and here is much more information on her in Wickipedia:
William Blake
Auguries of Innocence
BY WILLIAM BLAKE
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
A Robin Red breast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage
A Dove house filld with Doves & Pigeons
Shudders Hell thr' all its regions
A dog starvd at his Masters Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State
A Horse misusd upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fibre from the Brain does tear
A Skylark wounded in the wing
A Cherubim does cease to sing
The Game Cock clipd & armd for fight
Does the Rising Sun affright
Every Wolfs & Lions howl
Raises from Hell a Human Soul
The wild deer, wandring here & there
Keeps the Human Soul from Care
The Lamb misusd breeds Public Strife
And yet forgives the Butchers knife
The Bat that flits at close of Eve
Has left the Brain that wont Believe
The Owl that calls upon the Night
Speaks the Unbelievers fright
He who shall hurt the little Wren
Shall never be belovd by Men
He who the Ox to wrath has movd
Shall never be by Woman lovd
The wanton Boy that kills the Fly
Shall feel the Spiders enmity
He who torments the Chafers Sprite
Weaves a Bower in endless Night
The Catterpiller on the Leaf
Repeats to thee thy Mothers grief
Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly
For the Last Judgment draweth nigh
He who shall train the Horse to War
Shall never pass the Polar Bar
The Beggars Dog & Widows Cat
Feed them & thou wilt grow fat
The Gnat that sings his Summers Song
Poison gets from Slanders tongue
The poison of the Snake & Newt
Is the sweat of Envys Foot
The poison of the Honey Bee
Is the Artists Jealousy
The Princes Robes & Beggars Rags
Are Toadstools on the Misers Bags
A Truth thats told with bad intent
Beats all the Lies you can invent
It is right it should be so
Man was made for Joy & Woe
And when this we rightly know
Thro the World we safely go
Joy & Woe are woven fine
A Clothing for the soul divine
Under every grief & pine
Runs a joy with silken twine
The Babe is more than swadling Bands
Throughout all these Human Lands
Tools were made & Born were hands
Every Farmer Understands
Every Tear from Every Eye
Becomes a Babe in Eternity
This is caught by Females bright
And returnd to its own delight
The Bleat the Bark Bellow & Roar
Are Waves that Beat on Heavens Shore
The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath
Writes Revenge in realms of Death
The Beggars Rags fluttering in Air
Does to Rags the Heavens tear
The Soldier armd with Sword & Gun
Palsied strikes the Summers Sun
The poor Mans Farthing is worth more
Than all the Gold on Africs Shore
One Mite wrung from the Labrers hands
Shall buy & sell the Misers Lands
Or if protected from on high
Does that whole Nation sell & buy
He who mocks the Infants Faith
Shall be mockd in Age & Death
He who shall teach the Child to Doubt
The rotting Grave shall neer get out
He who respects the Infants faith
Triumphs over Hell & Death
The Childs Toys & the Old Mans Reasons
Are the Fruits of the Two seasons
The Questioner who sits so sly
Shall never know how to Reply
He who replies to words of Doubt
Doth put the Light of Knowledge out
The Strongest Poison ever known
Came from Caesars Laurel Crown
Nought can Deform the Human Race
Like to the Armours iron brace
When Gold & Gems adorn the Plow
To peaceful Arts shall Envy Bow
A Riddle or the Crickets Cry
Is to Doubt a fit Reply
The Emmets Inch & Eagles Mile
Make Lame Philosophy to smile
He who Doubts from what he sees
Will neer Believe do what you Please
If the Sun & Moon should Doubt
Theyd immediately Go out
To be in a Passion you Good may Do
But no Good if a Passion is in you
The Whore & Gambler by the State
Licencd build that Nations Fate
The Harlots cry from Street to Street
Shall weave Old Englands winding Sheet
The Winners Shout the Losers Curse
Dance before dead Englands Hearse
Every Night & every Morn
Some to Misery are Born
Every Morn and every Night
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to Endless Night
We are led to Believe a Lie
When we see not Thro the Eye
Which was Born in a Night to perish in a Night
When the Soul Slept in Beams of Light
God Appears & God is Light
To those poor Souls who dwell in Night
But does a Human Form Display
To those who Dwell in Realms of day
In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
The EU promotional poster was issued in 1992 by the Council of Europe.
It portrays blockheaded people constructing a Tower of Babel building. 12 Inverted pentagrams surround the tower. A Satanic parody of the the Book of Revelation’s woman surrounded by 12 stars (representing the Church and 12 Apostles/12 tribes of Israel).
One inverted pentagrams is hidden behind the top of the tower, presumably because 11 apostles were left after Judas betrayed Jesus,
An inverted pentagram is regarded as an especially evil symbol, representing the horned, goat headed Mendes (Satan).
Pyramids can be seen in the background, another occult symbol (there are no pyramids in Europe).
In 1999 the European Parliament building in Strasbourg was completed. There was already an EU Parliament building in Brussels.
This second EU Parliament building was undeniably designed as a modernist interpretation of the Tower of Babel.
‘The New World Order' - a book by A. Ralph Epperson. Exposes the globalist plot for world domination.
Globalist agenda - World government.
The return to Babel.
thewildvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/the-wild-voic...
The European Union - the return to Babel
The irrefutable evidence in plain sight.
Also see:
AND:
EUbabel. The shocking occult symbolism of the European Union.
peuplesobservateursblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/togo-all...
Empty seat number 666
www.jesus-is-savior.com/End of the World/seat_666.htm
‘Imagine there’s no Heaven, it’s easy if you try
No Hell below us, above us only sky”
John Lennon.
‘Imagine’ a nightmare, world dictatorship.
European Union project, undemocratic, expansionist empire. Prototype and fledgling, World Government.
Brexit - The anti-globalist struggle against the NWO globalists.
Aaron Banks:
Asked if he would back the Leave side in a rerun of the 2016 referendum, Mr Banks said: “The corruption I have seen in British politics, the sewer that exists and the disgraceful behaviour of the Government over what they are doing with Brexit and how they are selling out, means that if I had my time again I think we would have been better to probably remain and not unleash these demons.”
Maybe Mr Banks didn't realise that he hit the nail squarely on the head when he described the incredibly fierce opposition to Brexit as the unleashing of "demons". The globalist agenda is truly demonic. It is no surprise that the globalists, and their puppets in the media and liberal establishment, are so desperate to stop Brexit interfering with their diabolical plans for world domination.
See: ‘Brexit, The Movie’ - available on YouTube.
The EU, mystery Babylon. www.biblelight.net/tower-painting-parliament.jpg
The EU parliament in Strasbourg is modelled on the Tower of Babel.
thewildvoice.org/mystery-babylon-european-union/#comment-...
The symbolism of the EU in plain sight, is the desire of its advocates to return to the spirit of Babel.
The Council of Europe's poster produced to promote the European Union and the EU Parliament building in Strasbourg grandmageri422.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/europe-many-to... is filled with occult symbolism: a tower of Babel, 11 inverted stars (pentagrams),, the 12th pentagram is behind the top (head) of the tower. This is a Satanic parody of the 12 stars surrounding the head of the Woman (Church/Mary) in the book of Revelation. The inverted pentagram is an occult symbol designed to represent the head of Baphomet (Satan or the Goat of Mendes), illuminati pyramids are also evident in the background (since when have Egyptian pyramids been part of Europe? Square, blockheaded (indoctrinated) people (useful idiots) are featured, building a tower designed for their own enslavement and suppression, with a round-headed baby, who is too young to have been indoctrinated.
The dangerous, climate change scam:
A high level of Co2 is essential for our survival. The exact opposite of what we a led to believe by the popular, eco- fanatic narrative which is designed to convince people of the necessity for globalist control.
See the truth here:
The reason the elite hate Trump so much is because he is opposed to the one world agenda globalists.
www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-02-10/reason-elite-hate-trump...
Common Purpose, Agenda 21, Agenda 2030, WEF, Davos, Google Camp, World Economic Forum, ‘fiat’ money, SWIFT, World Governance Council, G7, Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, Bank of International Settlements, Institute of International Affairs, New World Order, Globalism, European Union, EU Commission, ECJ, European Empire, evil empire, global conspiracy, United Nations, League of Nations, NAFTA, Freemasonry, Edward Mandal House, Thule Society, Kabbala, Kaaba, fractional reserve banking, Company Interbank Financial Telecommunication, internationalism, IMF, World Bank, ECB, European Central Bank, usury, Ruling Elite, Liberal fascism, Euro, EU cartel, EU empire, EU single currency, federalism, EUSSR, global elite, Federal Reserve, Paul Warburg, globalists, world government, WGS, World Government Summit, liberalism, Situational ethics, moral relativism, cultural imperialism, Bribery, Corruption, blackmail, slander, assassination, Moral relativism, Propaganda, project fear, fake news, Liberty, National Council for Civil Liberties, selective democracy, Illuminati, False religion, Maitreya, false ecumenism, World Council of Churches, Cultural Marxism, Censorship, Ted Turner, Timothy Wirth, Hilary Clinton, Club of Rome, Treaty of Rome, Maastricht Treaty, Lisbon Treaty, climate change scam, global warming, EU federalism, liberal establishment, Multiculturalism, EU Army, Palmera Arch, Temple of Baal, Nazis, National Socialism, Red Flag, hammer and sickle, useful idiots, globalist puppets, quislings, internationalism, Internationale, anti-Brexit, anti-Putin, FBI, people’s vote, EU army, Islamisation, Multinationals, multinational conglomerates, nationalisation, Fake News, Bellingcat, Bureaucracy, Climategate, chemtrails, Deep State, Council on Foreign Relations, CFR, Trilateral Commission, GM seed, GM food, quantitive easing, Bilderbergers, Eco-fanaticism, Greenpeace, eco warriors, Green Party, Liberal Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Party, Chatham House, Bohemian Grove, New Age, Illiberal Undemocrats, EU, Open Society, Open Britain, George Soros, Nancy Pelosi, Clinton foundation, John Podesta, John Dewey, Socialism, Humanists UK, Young Humanists, National Secular Society, British Humanist Association, neo Darwinism, Darwinism, evolution scam, CNN, New York Times, NBC news, PBS, MSNBC, BBC, liberal media, Drug legalisation, Money manipulation, IG Farben, quantitative easing, punitive taxation, Green taxes, progressives, Transgenderism, Social engineering, Communism, Socialist Workers Party, arch capitalism, Social Darwinism, Marxism, neo Darwinism, Erasmus Darwin, Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell, Bertrand Russell, James Hutton, David Hume, National Socialism (Nazism), Racism, international socialism, Gay mafia, gay adoption, rainbow alliance, UFOLOGY, global warming, Yakov Sverdlovsk, Red Terror, new age, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Jacob Schiff, Adam Weishaupt, Alistair Crowley. Albert Pike, Theosophy, Antichrist, Abortion, Population control, Karl Marx, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, Lenin, Trotsky, Engels, Euthanasia, Eugenics, Atheism, Soviet Union, USSR, People’s Democratic Republics, ‘People’s Vote’, Secularism, Andrew Copson, False science, Scientism, Lawrence Krauss, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Bill Nye, Gary Kasparov, Pussy Riot, radical left, atheist naturalism, pagan naturalism, A C Grayling, militant atheism, secular humanism, atheist pseudoscience, Cloning, Surrogacy, Fabianism, Central Banking, Fiat Currencies, banking cartels, LGBTQ agenda, Political correctness, liberal establishment, propaganda, progressive evolution, Hollywood, State control, Labour Party, Democratic Party, Green Party, Liberal Democrats, Fabian society, Secular Society, Antifa, BHA, FFRF, RDFRS, ACLU, gay priests, gay Bishops, gay pride, child abuse, gay fascism, sodomites, Stonewall, indoctrination, LGTB, LGBT, left wing feminism, lesbianism, homosexual agenda, Redefined marriage, Gender fanaticism, gay marriage, political correctness, hedonism, false equality, gender reassignment, surrogacy, Gay adoption, perverted sex education, Embryo experimentation, sperm banks, IVF, cloning, useful idiots, globalist puppets, UN, snowflakes, quislings, internationalism, liberal media, pornography, quislings, fifth column, Trojan horses, Sankt Galen Mafia, infiltrators, modernism, amnesty international, UNICEF, CIA, cyber surveillance, CCTV, Neo Darwinism, cultural Marxism, social Darwinism, atheist naturalism, paganism, Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell, Christianophobia, Secular Humanism, Militant atheism, abortion, Margaret Sanger, Moloch, Planned Parenthood, pro choice, Klu Klux Klan, Southern Poverty Law Centre, progressives, Christophobia, Newspeak, Satanism, Hate speech, political correctness, women’s march, False Ecumenism, election rigging, mass migration, Green taxes, climate change scam, global warming scam, carbon credits scam, debt enslavement, international bankers, Arch capitalism, Kuhn Loeb, Goldman Sachs, John D Rockefeller, Lehman Brothers, J P Morgan, Max Warburg, Order of the Skull and Bones, Extortionate taxation, class war, gender war, ageism, divide and rule, centralisation, climate change scam, mass migrations, cultural imperialism, Marie Stopes, Cultural war. human trafficking. Liberal Democrats, liberal media, Socialist Workers Party, Morning Star, Emmanuel Macron, Planned Parenthood, Marie Stopes International, BPAS, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Satanism, Wicca, Witchcraft, Luciferian. Lunar Society, secret societies, Annie Besant, Helena Blavatsky. Alice Bailey, Marxist Social Democratic Federation. Alliance for Global Justice, Malthusian League. House of Sulzberger-Ochs, House of Meyer-Graham, Mike Bloomberg, Pierre Omidyar, Sheldon Adelson, Brzezinski, Benjamin Creme, George Kennan, James Baker, Carroll Quigley, Strobe Talbott, Lev Dobriansky, PNAC, William Kristol, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Paul Walfowitz, Robert Kagan, Professor Joseph Nye, Lester Mondale, American atheists, British Humanist Association, Outright Action International, National Secular Society. Abolition of nation states, NWO. World dictatorship, Tower of Babel, European Parliament. European Commission.
The war against anti-globalist Putin, and the globalist demonising of Russia.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/43042520105
The reason the elite hate Trump so much is because he is opposed to the one world agenda of the globalists.
endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-reason-the-elite-h...
Why satanism is now on the center stage in the culture war.
www.crisismagazine.com/2019/why-satanism-is-now-on-the-ce...
Ending the crime of abortion is crucial in curbing the power, of Satan.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/43172544140
Ending the crime of abortion is crucial in curbing the power, of Satan.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/43172544140
IF and THEN, the atheist dilemma
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/46553358861
The poison in our midst - progressive politics.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/47971464278
Who trusts the MSM? Their lies are not just fake news, they deliberately set out to slander those who don’t agree with the liberal left, globalist elite. Their lies are positively evil. Everyone should watch this video and they will never trust the media again: banned.video/watch?id=5f00ca7c672706002f4026a9
Dutch postcard by Takken, Utrecht, nr. AX 309. Photo: Paramount.
Alluring French leading lady Corinne Calvet (1925-2001) made a big splash in Hollywood in the early 1950’s with her sultry looks and her highly publicized legal battles.
Corinne Calvet was born as Corinne Dibos in 1925 in Paris. Her mother was one of the scientists who contributed to the invention of Pyrex, a glassware that enabled food to be cooked directly in the glass in an oven. At the age of 12 Corinne appeared in a short film about billiards called Super Cue Men. She decided to become an actress while studying law at the Sorbonne. She went to study at L'Ecole du Cinema and after WW II she appeared in French radio and stage productions. She made her feature film debut with a small role in La part de l'ombre/Blind Desire (1945, Jean Delannoy) starring Jean-Louis Barrault. Soon followed bigger roles in Pétrus (1946, Marc Allégret) with Fernandel, Nous ne sommes pas mariés/We Are Not Married (1946, Bernard-Roland, Gianni Pons) and Le château de la dernière chance/The Castle of the Last Chance (1947, Jean-Paul Paulin). She was discovered in 1947 by Paramount and producer Hal Wallis invited her to come to Hollywood. He cast the French beauty in the Casablanca derivation Rope of Sand (1949, William Dieterle). As the only woman in a cast that included Burt Lancaster, Paul Henreid, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains, the curvaceous 23-year-old Calvet could not help but be noticed. Also in the cast was handsome 27-year-old John Bromfield, whom she soon married. Next followed a role in the comedy My Friend Irma Goes West (1950, Hal Walker), opposite Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, with whom she later also appeared in Sailor Beware (1952, Hal Walker). Calvet's few films made for Darryl F Zanuck at 20th Century-Fox were somewhat better, two of them under John Ford, though they were among the director's weakest works: When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950), in which she played a French underground leader who woos soldier Dan Dailey, and as a vivacious barmaid fought over by soldiers Dailey and James Cagney in What Price Glory? (1952). Also at Fox, Calvet was a spirited partner of Danny Kaye in a nightclub act in On The Riviera (1951, Walter Lang). In 1952 Calvet filed a million-dollar slander lawsuit to actress Zsa Zsa Gabor for telling several people, including a newspaper columnist, that Calvet was not really French (Later that year this to be not a genuine feud but just another publicity stunt.) The following years Calvet appeared in a string of films, usually playing French characters, opposite such leading men as Alan Ladd in Thunder In The East (1952, Charles Vidor), James Stewart in the excellent western The Far Country (1954, Anthony Mann), and Tony Curtis in So This Is Paris (1955, Richard Quine). She continued to act in Italian and French productions, like the thriller Bonnes à tuer/One Step to Eternity (1954, Henri Decoin), Le ragazze di San Frediano/The Girls of San Frediano (1955, Valerio Zurlini), Le Avventure Di Giacomo Casanova/Sins of Casanova (1955, Steno) opposite Gabriele Ferzetti, and Napoleon (1955).
In 1955, Corinne Calvet married actor/writer Jeffrey Stone and cooled her acting career. The couple had a son, Robin. Between her marriages and liaisons she made sporadic appearances on American television series and in such films as the British suspense film Bluebeard's Ten Honeymoons (1960, W. Lee Wilder) with George Sanders, Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962, Martin Ritt) and Apache Uprising (1966, R.G. Springsteen). In the 1970’s she started a career as a psycho-therapist. On the screen she appeared in such fare as the tv film The Phantom of Hollywood (1974, Gene Levitt) and the soft-core porn film Too Hot to Handle (1976, Don Schain). In the 1980’s, Calvet she played a victim of Oliver Reed in Dr Heckle and Mr Hype (1980, Charles B. Griffith), and had a cameo in The Sword And The Sorcerer (1982, Albert Pyun). Calvet was married four times. Her first marriage was to actor John Bromfield (1948-1954), who had co-starred with her in Rope of Sand and who, she claimed had been ordered to marry her by his studio. She explained that "he had an addiction to sex, which he needed to satisfy in order to sleep". Her second marriage was to minor actor/writer Jeffrey Stone (1955 - 1962). In 1966 she married director Albert C. Gannaway in Las Vegas, with whom she had made the western Plunderers of Painted Flats (1959), the last film for Republic Pictures. But Gannaway left her just a week after their marriage. In 1967, her longtime boyfriend, millionaire Donald Scott sued her to recover assets that he had placed under her name in order to hide them from his wife in a divorce battle. Saying that Calvet had used voodoo to control him, Scott settled his differences with her after a bitter two-week trial. Calvets final marriage was to producer/commercial photographer Robert J. Wirt (1968-1971). All marriages ended in divorce. Calvet once told a reporter that American men make wonderful husbands if you don't love them. But if you love them, she advised, don't marry them. Corinne Calvet died in 2001 in Los Angeles of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 76. She is survived by a son of her fourth marriage, Michael. In her memoir, entitled Has Corinne Been a Good Girl? (1983), she stated that the roles she played for Hollywood studios typecasted her and never challenged her acting ability. And about the title: readers and filmgoers were left to make up their own minds as to the answer.
Sources: Hal Erickson (All Movie Guide), Brian J. Walker (Brian’s Drive-In Theater), Philippe Garnier (Libération), Jon Thurber (Los Angeles Times), Ronald Bergan (The Guardian), Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, Wikipedia and IMDb.
Ephesians 4:31-32 - 'Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.'
This is a bit long but its worth a read... this artwork compliments "Immeasurable love" Enjoy.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."—John 3:16
I WAS very greatly surprised the other day, in looking over the list of texts from which I have preached, to find that I have no record of ever having spoken from this verse. This is all the more singular, because I can truly say that it might be put in the forefront of all my volumes of discourses as the sole topic of my life's ministry. It has been my one and only business to set forth the love of God to men in Christ Jesus. I heard lately of an aged minister of whom it was said, "Whatever his text, he never failed to set forth God as love, and Christ as the atonement for sin." I wish that much the same may be said of me. My heart's desire has been to sound forth as with a trumpet the good news that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
We are about to meet around the communion table, and I cannot preach from this text anything but a simple gospel sermon. Can you desire a better preparation for communion? We have fellowship with God and with one another upon the basis of the infinite love which is displayed in Jesus Christ our Lord. The gospel is the fair white linen cloth which covers the table on which the Communion Feast is set. The higher truths, those truths which belong to a more enlightened experience, those richer truths which tell of the fellowship of the higher life—all these are helpful to holy fellowship; but I am sure not more so than those elementary and foundation truths which were the means of our first entrance into the kingdom of God. Babes in Christ and men in Christ here feed upon one common food. Come, ye aged saints, be children again; and you that have long known your Lord, take up your first spelling-book, and go over your A B C again, by learning that God so loved the world, that he gave his Son to die, that man might live through him. I do not call you to an elementary lesson because you have forgotten your letters, but because it is a good thing to refresh the memory, and a blessed thing to feel young again. What the old folks used to call the Christ-cross Row contained nothing but the letters; and yet all the books in the language are made out of that line: therefore do I call you back to the cross, and to him who bled thereon. It is a good things for us all to return at times to our starting place, and make sure that we are in the way everlasting. The love of our espousals is most likely to continue if we again and again begin where God began with us, and where we first began with God. It is wise to come to him afresh, as we came in that first day when, helpless, needy, heavy-laden, we stood weeping at the cross, and left our burden at the pierced feet. There we learned to look, and live, and love; and there would we repeat the lesson till we rehearse it perfectly in glory.
To-night, we have to talk about the love of God: "God so loved the world." That love of God is a very wonderful thing, especially when we see it set upon a lost, ruined, guilty world. What was there in the world that God should love it? There was nothing lovable in it. No fragrant flower grew in that arid desert. Enmity to him, hatred to his truth, disregard of his law, rebellion against his commandments; those were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land; but no desirable thing blossomed there. Yet, "God loved the world," says the text; "so" loved it, that even the writer of the book of John could not tell us how much; but so greatly, so divinely, did he love it that he gave his Son, his only Son, to redeem the world from perishing, and to gather out of it a people to his praise.
Whence came that love? Not from anything outside of God himself. God's love springs from himself. He loves because it is his nature to do so. "God is love." As I have said already, nothing upon the face of the earth could have merited his love, though there was much to merit his displeasure. This stream of love flows from its own secret source in the eternal Deity, and it owes nothing to any earth-born rain or rivulet; it springs from beneath the everlasting throne, and fills itself full from the springs of the infinite. God loved because he would love. When we enquire why the Lord loved this man or that, we have to come back to our Saviour's answer to the question, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." God has such love in his nature that he must needs let it flow forth to a world perishing by its own wilful sin; and when it flowed forth it was so deep, so wide, so strong, that even inspiration could not compute its measure, and therefore the Holy Spirit gave us that great little word SO, and left us to attempt the measurement, according as we perceive more and more of love divine.
Now, there happened to be an occasion upon which the great God could display his immeasurable love. The world had sadly gone astray; the world had lost itself; the world was tried and condemned; the world was given over to perish, because of its offenses; and there was need for help. The fall of Adam and the destruction of mankind made ample room and verge enough for love almighty. Amid the ruins of humanity there was space for showing how much Jehovah loved the sons of men; for the compass of his love was no less than the world, the object of it no less than to deliver men from going down to the pit, and the result of it no less than the finding of a ransom for them. The far-reaching purpose of that love was both negative and positive; that, believing in Jesus, men might not perish, but have eternal life. The desperate disease of man gave occasion for the introduction of that divine remedy which God alone could have devised and supplied. By the plan of mercy, and the great gift which was needed for carrying it out, the Lord found means to display his boundless love to guilty men. Had there been no fall, and no perishing, God might have shown his love to us as he does to the pure and perfect spirits that surround his throne; but he never could have commended his love to us to such an extent as he now does. In the gift of his only-begotten Son, God commended his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. The black background of sin makes the bright line of love shine out the more clearly. When the lightning writes the name of the Lord with flaming finger across the black brow of the tempest, we are compelled to see it; so when love inscribes the cross upon the jet tablet of our sin, even blind eyes must see that "herein is love."
I might handle my text in a thousand different ways to-night; but for simplicity's sake, and to keep to the one point of setting forth the love of God, I want to make you see how great that love is by five different particulars.
I. The first is the GIFT: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." Men who love much will give much, and you may usually measure the truth of love by its self-denials and sacrifices. That love which spares nothing, but spends itself to help and bless its object, is love indeed, and not the mere name of it. Little love forgets to bring water for the feet, but great love breaks its box of alabaster and lavishes its precious ointment.
Consider, then, what this gift was that God gave. I should have to labour for expression if I were to attempt to set forth to the full this priceless boon; and I will not court a failure by attempting the impossible. I will only invite you to think of the sacred Person whom the Great Father gave in order that he might prove his love to men. It was his only-begotten Son—his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased. None of us had ever such a son to give. Ours are the sons of men; his was the Son of God. The Father gave his other self, one with himself. When the great God gave his Son he gave God himself, for Jesus is not in his eternal nature less than God. When God gave God for us he gave himself. What more could he give? God gave his all: he gave himself. Who can measure this love?
Judge, ye fathers, how ye love your sons: could ye give them to die for your enemy? Judge, ye that have an only son, how your hearts are entwined about your first-born, your only-begotten. There was no higher proof of Abraham's love to God than when he did not withhold from God his son, his only son, his Isaac whom he loved; and there can certainly be no greater display of love than for the Eternal Father to give his only-begotten Son to die for us. No living thing will readily lose its offspring; man has peculiar grief when his son is taken; has not God yet more? A story has often been told of the fondness of parents for their children how in a famine in the East a father and mother were reduced to absolute starvation, and the only possibility of preserving the life of the family was to sell one of the children into slavery. So they considered it. The pinch of hunger became unbearable, and their children pleading for bread tugged so painfully at their heart-strings, that they must entertain the idea of selling one to save the lives of the rest. They had four sons. Who of these should be sold? It must not be the first: how could they spare their first-born? The second was so strangely like his father that he seemed a reproduction of him, and the mother said that she would never part with him. The third was so singularly like the mother that the father said he would sooner die than that this dear boy should go into bondage; and as for the fourth, he was their Benjamin, their last, their darling, and they could not part with him. They concluded that it were better for them all to die together than willingly to part with any one of their children. Do you not sympathize with them? I see you do. Yet God so loved us that, to put it very strongly, he seemed to love us better than his only Son, and did not spare him that he might spare us. He permitted his Son to perish from among men "that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life."
If you desire to see the love of God in this great procedure you must consider how he gave his Son. He did not give his Son, as you might do, to some profession in the pursuit of which you might still enjoy his company; but he gave his Son to exile among men. He sent him down to yonder manger, united with a perfect manhood, which at the first was in an infant's form. There he slept, where horned oxen fed! The Lord God sent the heir of all things to toil in a carpenter's shop: to drive the nail, and push the plane, and use the saw. He sent him down amongst scribes and Pharisees, whose cunning eyes watched him, and whose cruel tongues scourged him with base slanders. He sent him down to hunger, and thirst, amid poverty so dire that he had not where to lay his head. He sent him down to the scourging and the crowning with thorns, to the giving of his back to the smiters and his cheeks to those that plucked off the hair. At length he gave him up to death—a felon's death, the death of the crucified. Behold that cross and see the anguish of him that dies upon it, and mark how the Father has so given him, that he hides his face from him, and seems as if he would not own him! "Lama sabachthani" tells us how fully God gave his Son to ransom the souls of the sinful. He gave him to be made a curse for us; gave him that he might die "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God."
Dear sirs, I can understand your giving up your children to go to India on her Majesty's service, or to go out to the Cameroons or the Congo upon the errands of our Lord Jesus. I can well comprehend your yielding them up even with the fear of a pestilential climate before you, for if they die they will die honourably in a glorious cause; but could you think of parting with them to die a felon's death, upon a gibbet, execrated by those whom they sought to bless, stripped naked in body and deserted in mind? Would not that be too much? Would you not cry, "I cannot part with my son for such wretches as these. Why should he be put to a cruel death for such abominable beings, who even wash their hands in the blood of their best friend"? Remember that our Lord Jesus died what his countrymen considered to be an accursed death. To the Romans it was the death of a condemned slave, a death which had all the elements of pain, disgrace, and scorn mingled in it to the uttermost. "But God commendeth his love to- ward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Oh, wondrous stretch of love, that Jesus Christ should die!
Yet, I cannot leave this point till I have you notice when God gave his Son, for there is love in the time. "God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son." But when did he do that? In his eternal purpose he did this from before the foundation of the world. The words here used, "He gave his Only Begotten Son," cannot relate exclusively to the death of Christ, for Christ was not dead at the time of the utterance of this third chapter of John. Our Lord had just been speaking with Nicodemus, and that conversation took place at the beginning of his ministry. The fact is that Jesus was always the gift of God. The promise of Jesus was made in the garden of Eden almost as soon as Adam fell. On the spot where our ruin was accomplished, a Deliverer was bestowed whose heel should be bruised, but who should break the serpent's head beneath his foot.
Throughout the ages the great Father stood to his gift. He looked upon his Only Begotten as man's hope, the inheritance of the chosen seed, who in him would possess all things. Every sacrifice was God's renewal of his gift of grace, a reassurance that he had bestowed the gift, and would never draw back therefrom. The whole system of types under the law betokened that in the fulness of time the Lord would in very deed give up his Son, to be born of a woman, to bear the iniquities of his people, and to die the death in their behalf. I greatly admire this pertinacity of love; for many a man in a moment of generous excitement can perform a supreme act of benevolence, and yet could not bear to look at it calmly, and consider it from year to year; the slow fire of anticipation would have been unbearable. If the Lord should take away yonder dear boy from his mother, she would bear the blow with some measure of patience, heavy as it would be to her tender heart; but suppose that she were credibly informed that on such a day her boy must die, and thus had from year to year to look upon him as one dead, would it not cast a cloud over every hour of her future life? Suppose also that she knew that he would be hanged upon a tree to die, as one condemned; would it not embitter her existence? If she could withdraw from such a trial, would she not? Assuredly she would. Yet the Lord God spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all, doing it in his heart from age, to age. Herein is love: love which many waters could not quench: love eternal, inconceivable, infinite!
Now, as this gift refers not only to our Lord's death, but to the ages before it, so it includes also all the ages afterwards. God "so loved the world that he gave"—and still gives—"his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." The Lord is giving Christ away to-night. Oh, that thousands of you may gladly accept the gift unspeakable! Will anyone refuse? This good gift, this perfect gift,—can you decline it? Oh, that you may have faith to lay hold on Jesus, for thus he will be yours. He is God's free gift to all free receivers; a full Christ for empty sinners. If you can but hold out your empty willing hand, the Lord will give Christ to you at this moment. Nothing is freer than a gift. Nothing is more worth having than a gift which comes fresh from the hand of God, as full of effectual power as ever it was. The fountain is eternal, but the stream from it is as fresh as when first the fountain was opened. There is no exhausting this gift.
"Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose it power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more."
See, then, what is the love of God, that he gave his Son from of old, and has never revoked the gift. He stands to his gift, and continues still to give his dear Son to all who are willing to accept him. Out of the riches of his grace he has given, is giving, and will give the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the priceless gifts which are contained in him, to all needy sinners who will simply trust him.
I call upon you from this first point to admire the love of God, because of the transcendent greatness of his gift to the world, even the gift of his only begotten Son.
II. Now notice secondly, and, I think I may say, with equal admiration, the love of God in THE PLAN OF SALVATION. He has put it thus: "that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The way of salvation is extremely simple to understand, and exceedingly easy to practise, when once the heart is made willing and obedient. The method of the covenant of grace differs as much from that of the covenant of works as light from darkness. It is not said that God has given his Son to all who will keep his law, for that we could not do, and therefore the gift would have been available to none of us. Nor is it said that he has given his Son to all that experience terrible despair and bitter remorse, for that is not felt by many who nevertheless are the Lord's own people. But the great God has given his own Son, that "whosoever believeth in him" should not perish. Faith, however slender, saves the soul. Trust in Christ is the certain way of eternal happiness.
Now, what is it to believe in Jesus? It is just this: it is to trust yourself with him. If your hearts are ready, though you have never believed in Jesus before, I trust you will believe in him now. O Holy Spirit graciously make it so.
What is it to believe in Jesus?
It is, first, to give your firm and cordial assent to the truth, that God did send his Son, born of a woman, to stand in the room and stead of guilty men, and that God did cause to meet on him the iniquities of us all, so that he bore the punishment due to our transgressions, being made a curse for us. We must heartily believe the Scripture which saith,—"the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes ye are healed." I ask for your assent to the grand doctrine of substitution, which is the marrow of the gospel. Oh, may God the Holy Spirit lead you to give a cordial assent to it at once; for wonderful as it is, it is a fact that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. Oh that you may rejoice that this is true, and be thankful that such a blessed fact is revealed by God himself. Believe that the substitution of the Son of God is certain; cavil not at the plan, nor question its validity, or efficacy, as many do. Alas! they kick at God's great sacrifice, and count it a sorry invention. As for me, since God has ordained to save man by a substitutionary sacrifice, I joyfully agree to his method, and see no reason to do anything else but admire it and adore the Author of it. I joy and rejoice that such a plan should have been thought of, whereby the justice of God is vindicated, and his mercy is set free to do all that he desires. Sin is punished in the person of the Christ, yet mercy is extended to the guilty. In Christ mercy is sustained by justice, and justice satisfied by an act of mercy. The worldly wise say hard things about this device of infinite wisdom; but as for me, I love the very name of the cross, and count it to be the centre of wisdom, the focus of love, the heart of righteousness. This is a main point of faith—to give a hearty assent to the giving of Jesus to suffer in our place and stead, to agree with all our soul and mind to this way of salvation.
The second thing is that you do accept this for yourself. In Adam's sin, you did not sin personally, for you were not then in existence; yet you fell; neither can you now complain thereof, for you have willingly endorsed and adopted Adam's sin by committing personal transgressions. You have laid your hand, as it were, upon Adam's sin, and made it your own, by committing personal and actual sin. Thus you perished by the sin of another, which you adopted and endorsed; and in like manner must you be saved by the righteousness of another, which you are to accept and appropriate. Jesus has offered an atonement, and that atonement becomes yours when you accept it by putting your trust in him. I want you now to say,
"My faith doth lay her hand
On that dear head of thine,
While, like a penitent, I stand,
And here confess my sin."
Surely this is no very difficult matter. To say that Christ who hung upon the cross shall be my Christ, my surety, needs neither stretch of intellect, nor splendor of character; and yet it is the act which brings salvation to the soul.
One thing more is needful; and that is personal trust. First comes assent to the truth, then acceptance of that truth for yourself, and then a simple trusting of yourself wholly to Christ, as a substitute. The essence of faith is trust, reliance, dependence. Fling away every other confidence of every sort, save confidence in Jesus. Do not allow a ghost of a shade of a shadow of a confidence in anything that you can do, or in anything that you can be; but look alone to him whom God has set forth to be the propitiation for sin. This I do at this very moment; will you not do the same? Oh, may the sweet Spirit of God lead you now to trust in Jesus!
See, then, the love of God in putting it in so plain, so easy a way. Oh, thou broken, crushed and despairing sinner, thou canst not work, but canst thou not believe that which is true? Thou canst not sigh; thou canst not cry; thou canst not melt thy stony heart; but canst thou not believe that Jesus died for thee, and that he can change that heart of thine and make thee a new creature? If thou canst believe this, then trust in Jesus to do so, and thou art saved; for he that believes in him is justified. "He that believeth in him hath everlasting life." He is a saved man. His sins are forgiven him. Let him go his way in peace, and sin no more.
I admire, first, the love of God in the great gift, and then in the great plan by which that gift becomes available to guilty men.
III. Thirdly, the love of God shines forth with transcendent brightness in a third point, namely, in THE PERSONS FOR WHOM THIS PLAN IS AVAILABLE, and for whom this gift is given. They are described in these words—"Whosoever believeth in him." There is in the text a word which has no limit—"God so loved the world"; but then comes in the descriptive limit, which I beg you to notice with care: "He gave his Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish." God did not so love the world that any man who does not believe in Christ shall be saved; neither did God so give his Son that any man shall be saved who refuses to believe in him. See how it is put—"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish." Here is the compass of the love: while every unbeliever is excluded, every believer is included. "Whosoever believeth in him." Suppose there be a man who has been guilty of all the lusts of the flesh to an infamous degree, suppose that he is so detestable that he is only fit to be treated like a moral leper, and shut up in a separate house for fear he should contaminate those who hear or see him; yet if that man shall believe in Jesus Christ, he shall at once be made clean from his defilement, and shall not perish because of his sin. And suppose there be another man who, in the pursuit of his selfish motives, has ground down the poor, has robbed his fellow-traders, and has even gone so far as to commit actual crime of which the law has taken cognisance, yet if he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ he shall be led to make restitution, and his sins shall be forgiven him. I once heard of a preacher addressing a company of men in chains, condemned to die for murder and other crimes. They were such a drove of beasts to all outward appearances that it seemed hopeless to preach to them; yet were I set to be chaplain to such a wretched company I should not hesitate to tell them that "God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." O man, if thou wilt believe in Jesus as the Christ, however horrible thy past sins have been they shall be blotted out; thou shalt be saved from the power of thine evil habits; and thou shalt begin again like a child newborn, with a new and true life, which God shall give thee. "Whosoever believeth in him,"—that takes you in, my aged friend, now lingering within a few tottering steps of the grave. O grey-headed sinner, if you believe in him, you shall not perish. The text also includes you, dear boy, who have scarcely entered your teens as yet: if you believe in him, you shall not perish. That takes you in, fair maiden, and gives you hope and joy while yet young. That comprehends all of us, provided we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither can all the devils in hell find out any reason why the man that believes in Christ shall be lost, for it is written, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Do they say, "Lord, he has been so long in coming"? The Lord replies,—"Has he come? Then I will not cast him out for all his delays." But, Lord, he went back after making a profession. "Has he at length come? Then I will not cast him out for all his backsliding." But, Lord, he was a foul-mouthed blasphemer. "Has he come to me? Then I will not cast him out for all his blasphemies." But, says one, "I take exception to the salvation of this wicked wretch. He has behaved so abominably that in all justice he ought to be sent to hell." Just so. But if he repents of his sin and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, whoever he may be, he shall not be sent there. He shall be changed in character, so that he shall never perish, but have eternal life.
Now, observe, that this "whosoever" makes a grand sweep; for it encircles all degrees of faith. "Whosoever believeth in him." It may be that he has no full assurance; it may be that he has no assurance at all; but if he has faith, true and childlike, by it he shall be saved. Though his faith be so little that I must needs put on my spectacles to see it, yet Christ will see it and reward it. His faith is such a tiny grain of mustard seed that I look and look again but hardly discern it, and yet it brings him eternal life, and it is itself a living thing. The Lord can see within that mustard seed a tree among whose branches the birds of the air shall make their nests.
"My faith is feeble, I confess,
I faintly trust thy word;
But wilt thou pity me the less?
Be that far from thee, Lord!"
O Lord Jesus, if I cannot take thee up in my arms as Simeon did, I will at least touch thy garment's hem as the poor diseased woman did to whom thy healing virtue flowed. It is written, "God so loveth the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That means me. I cannot preach at length to you to-night; but I would preach with strength. Oh that this truth may soak into your souls. Oh you that feel yourselves guilty; and you that feel guilty because you do not feel guilty; you that are broken in heart because your heart will not break; you that feel that you cannot feel; it is to you that I would preach salvation in Christ by faith. You groan because you cannot groan; but whoever you may be, you are still within the range of this mighty word, that "whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Thus have I commended God's love to you in those three points—the divine gift, the divine method of saving, and the divine choice of the persons to whom salvation comes.
IV. Now fourthly, another beam of divine love is to be seen in the negative blessing here stated, namely, in THE DELIVERANCE implied in the words, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish."
I understand that word to mean that whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, though he is ready to perish. His sins would cause him to perish, but he shall never perish. At first he has a little hope in Christ, but its existence is feeble. It will soon die out, will it not? No, his faith shall not perish, for this promise covers it—"Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish." The penitent has believed in Jesus, and therefore he has begun to be a Christian; "Oh," cries an enemy, "let him alone: he will soon be back among us; he will soon be as careless as ever." Listen. "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish," and therefore he will not return to his former state. This proves the final perseverance of the saints; for if the believer ceased to be a believer he would perish; and as he cannot perish, it is clear that he will continue a believer. If thou believest in Jesus, thou shalt never leave off believing in him; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never delight in thine old sins; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never lose spiritual life. How canst thou lose that which is everlasting? If thou wert to lose it, it would prove that it was not everlasting, and thou wouldst perish; and thus thou wouldst make this word to be of no effect. Whosoever with his heart believeth in Christ is a saved man, not for to-night only, but for all the nights that ever shall be, and for that dread night of death, and for that solemn eternity which draws so near. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish;" but he shall have a life that cannot die, a justification that cannot be disputed, an acceptance which shall never cease.
What is it to perish? It is to lose all hope in Christ, all trust in God, all light in life, all peace in death, all joy, all bliss, all union with God. This shall never happen to thee if thou believest in Christ. If thou believest, thou shalt be chastened when thou dost wrong, for every child of God comes under discipline; and what son is there whom the Father chasteneth not? If thou believest, thou mayest doubt and fear as to thy state, as a man on board a ship may be tossed about; but thou hast gotten on board a ship that never can be wrecked. He that hath union with Christ has union with perfection, omnipotence and glory. He that believeth is a member of Christ: will Christ lose his members? How should Christ be perfect if he lost even his little finger? Are Christ's members to rot off, or to be cut off? Impossible. If thou hast faith in Christ thou are a partaker of Christ's life, and thou canst not perish. If men were trying to drown me, they could not drown my foot as long as I had my head above water; and as long as our Head is above water, up yonder in the eternal sunshine, the least limb of his body can never be destroyed. He that believeth in Jesus is united to him, and he must live because Jesus lives. Oh what a word is this, "I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
I feel that I have a grand gospel to preach to you when I read that whosoever believeth in Jesus shall not perish. I would not give two pins for that trumpery, temporary salvation which some proclaim, which floats the soul for a time and then ebbs away to apostasy. I do not believe that the man who is once in Christ may live in sin and delight in it, and yet be saved. That is abominable teaching, and none of mine. But I believe that the man who is in Christ will not live in sin, for he is saved from it; nor will he return to his old sins and abide in them, for the grace of God will continue to save him from his sins. Such a change is wrought by regeneration that the newborn man cannot abide in sin, nor find comfort in it, but he loves holiness and makes progress in it. The Ethiopian may change his skin, and the leopard his spots, but only grace divine can work the change; and when divine grace has done the deed the blackamore will remain white, and the leopard's spots will never return. It would be as great a miracle to undo the work of God as to do it; and to destroy the new creation would require as great a power as to make it. As only God can create, so only God can destroy; and he will never destroy the work of his own hands. Will God begin to build and not finish? Will he commence a warfare and end it before he has won the victory? What would the devil say if Christ were to begin to save a soul and fail in the attempt? If there should come to be souls in hell that were believers in Christ, and yet did perish, it would cast a cloud upon the diadem of our exalted Lord. It cannot, shall not, be. Such is the love of God, that whosoever believeth in his dear Son shall not perish: in this assurance we greatly rejoice.
V. The last commendation of his love lies in the positive—IN THE POSSESSION. I shall have to go in a measure over the same ground again, let me therefore be the shorter. God gives to every man that believes in Christ everlasting life. The moment thou believest there trembles into thy bosom a vital spark of heavenly flame which never shall be quenched. In that same moment when thou dost cast thyself on Christ, Christ comes to thee in the living and incorruptible word which liveth and abideth for ever. Though there should drop into thy heart but one drop of the heavenly water of life, remember this,—he hath said it who cannot lie,—"The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." When I first received everlasting life I had no idea what a treasure had come to me. I knew that I had obtained something very extraordinary, but of its superlative value I was not aware. I did but look to Christ in the little chapel, and I received eternal life. I looked to Jesus, and he looked on me; and we were one for ever. That moment my joy surpassed all bounds, just as my sorrow had aforetime driven me to an extreme of grief. I was perfectly at rest in Christ, satisfied with him, and my heart was glad; but I did not know that this grace was everlasting life till I began to read in the Scriptures, and to know more fully the value of the jewel which God had given me. The next Sunday I sent to the same chapel, as it was very natural that I should. But I never went afterwards, for this reason, that during my first week the new life that was in me had been compelled to fight for its existence, and a conflict with the old nature had been vigorously carried on. This I knew to be a special token of the indwelling of grace in my soul; but in that same chapel I heard a sermon upon "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And the preacher declared that Paul was not a Christian when he had that experience. Babe as I was, I knew better than to believe so absurd a statement. What but divine grace could produce such a sighing and crying after deliverance from indwelling sin? I felt that a person who could talk such nonsense knew little of the life of a true believer. I said to myself, "What! am I not alive because I feel a conflict within me? I never felt this fight when I was an unbeliever. When I was not a Christian I never groaned to be set free from sin. This conflict is one of the surest evidences of my new birth, and yet this man cannot see it; he may be a good exhorter to sinners, but he cannot feed believers." I resolved to go into that pasture no more, for I could not feed therein. I find that the struggle becomes more and more intense; each victory over sin reveals another army of evil tendencies, and I am never able to sheathe my sword, nor cease from prayer and watchfulness.
I cannot advance an inch without praying my way, nor keep the inch I gain without watching and standing fast. Grace alone can preserve and perfect me. The old nature will kill the new nature if it can; and to this moment the only reason why my new nature is not dead is this—because it cannot die. If it could have died, it would have been slain long ago; but Jesus said, "I give unto my sheep eternal life"; "he that believeth on me hast everlasting life"; and therefore the believer cannot die. The only religion which will save you is one that you cannot leave, because it possesses you, and will not leave you. If you hold a doctrine which you can give up, give it up; but if the doctrines are burnt into you so that as long as you live you must hold them, and so that if you were burnt every ash would hold that same truth in it, because you are impregnated with it, then you have found the right thing.
You are not a saved man unless Christ has saved you for ever. But that which has such a grip of you that its grasp is felt in the core of your being is the power of God. To have Christ living in you, and the truth ingrained in your very nature—O sirs, this is the thing that saves the soul, and nothing short of it. It is written in the text, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." What is this but a life that shall last through your three-score years and ten; a life that shall last you should you outlive a century; a life that will still flourish when you lie at the grave's mouth; a life that will abide when you have quitted the body, and left it rotting in the tomb; a life that will continue when your body is raised again, and you shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ; a life that will outshine those stars and yon sun and moon; a life that shall be co-eval with the life of the Eternal Father? As long as there is a God, the believer shall not only exist, but live. As long as there is a heaven, you shall enjoy it; as long as there is a Christ, you shall live in his love; and as long as there is an eternity, you shall continue to fill it with delight.
God bless you and help you to believe in Jesus.—Amen.
Intended for reading on Lord's-Day, July 26th, 1885,
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
Better Viewed Large-We passed by the Pennyrile Forest just after an ice storm and caught the last light reflecting off of the ice crystals. There was enough time to take a few different angles on the sun and clouds and we took advantage of that.
Every season has its own glory (James Watkins)
Every season has its own glory,
Every purpose has its own time,
Every moment has its own story,
Every story has its own line.
I have walked deep into cities,
Shining brightly never to fail,
Listened to heart cries,
Lost in the morning,
Standing on corners
Stagnant and stale.
Where is the hope
That brought forth the laughter?
Where is the song?
The music unveiled?
Why are the choices so
Wasted and bitter?
Gathered in hatred,
Broken and pale.
I have seen (new) stars on the mountains,
Fed on the movement of heaven and earth-
Fired up frameworks
Of perfect perspective,
Fueled by the turning of terrible truth.
Come now and sing of mists in the forest,
Sensual sonnets of songs in the dirt-
Come and behold the delicate balance
Of seasons and reasons and rhythms
And birth.
There are the voices lost in confusion,
Crushed in the thriving, deepening swale-
Calloused and cold the circling convenience,
Crippled commotion emotions prevail.
Beacons of quiet in last true performance,
Heralded nature in singular cause-
Perfect and pure
Though wasted and slandered.
Washed by confessional
Smoldering awe.
Severed connections, squandered projections-
Revered reflections, stammering tongues-
Coined by controlling contriving convections,
In different directions now written in stone.
Now is the time to look to the heavens,
Now is the moment to take up the cause,
Now is the voice of blazing amazement,
Borne on the winds of the gathering storm.
Listen to stream, listen to forest,
Listen to flower, and staggering fawn-
Listen to voices rolling like thunder,
Drink of the waters
And dance with the dawn.
Wrapped in the garments of natural beauty,
Facing the force of burgeoning call-
Strong in the seasons of life and creation,
Firm on foundations that never will fall.
James Watkins 09-01-08
Today is the feast of the sainted bishop of Alexandria and Doctor of the Church, St Athanasius. He was the greatest champion of Catholic belief on the subject of the Incarnation, particularly on Christ's true humanity and divinity, in the Patristic Church, and in his lifetime earned the characteristic title of "Father of Orthodoxy", by which he has been distinguished every since.
St Athanasius was exiled "three times by general councils or synods dominated by Arian bishops, twice by order of the Emperor. He was slandered, condemned by a false council, tried and acquitted of various absurd charges. The Emperor Constantine and his successors considered Athanasius a trouble-maker." But Blessed Cardinal Newman called him "a principal instrument after the Apostles by which the sacred truths of Christianity have been secured and conveyed to the world".
This image of the saint trampling down Heresy is on the ceiling on Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.
Well, you can knock me down,
Lay on your face,
Slander my name
All over the place...
Elvis is alive and well - he's at an oil change place in Canton, MI!
The workers here scurried away like mice when I plopped myself face down on the ground.
Happy Face Down Tuesday!
HFDT!
Christian Movie Trailer | "The Gospel Messenger" | Bear the Cross and Preach Gospel of the Kingdom
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/gospel-messenger-trailer/
Chen Yixin had believed in the Lord for more than twenty years and had been engaged in work and preaching with great enthusiasm. She was once arrested by the Chinese Communist Party and imprisoned for four years, and she stood firm witness for the Lord. However, when faced with the fact that her church grew more and more empty, she sank into pain and confusion. Later, she was fortunate enough to hear Almighty God's gospel of the last days, and was finally able to be reunited with the Lord. Full of happiness, she passed on the good tidings of the Lord's return to her brothers and sisters in religion, but was unexpectedly slandered, insulted, beaten, abused, and driven away…. From the words of Almighty God, Chen Yixin saw God's eager desire to save mankind and understood that spreading the gospel of the kingdom was God's entrustment and the mission and unshirkable obligation of everyone as a creature…. Over several years' time, Chen Yixin has traveled to many provinces and cities to preach the gospel and bear witness to God, and time after time she has been rejected by the religious world and hunted and persecuted by the satanic regime of the CCP, suffering a great deal. There were times when she was weak, but these bitter experiences have made her clearly see the truth that the religious world is controlled by antichrists and false shepherds and its essence of believing in God yet resisting God. She has also recognized God's love and salvation for mankind. Under the guidance of Almighty God's words and encouragement of His love, Chen Yixin, burdened with God's commission, forges ahead with no fear of the unknown …
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Christian Movie | God Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life | "The Mystery of Godliness: The Sequel" youtu.be/4XFNR5Ovh-w
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s0698 9185 Brock14A2B Bellerophon. Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon Vierzehnte vollständig neubearbeitete Auflage. In sechzehn Bänden. Zweiter Band. Astrachan - Bilk. F. A. Brockhaus in Leipzig Berlin und Wien.1892.
Bellerophon, nach der griech. Sage der Sohn des korinth. Königs Glaukos, des Sohnes des Sisyphos (oder der Sohn des Poseidon). Seine Sage wird von Homer (Il. 6, 152-205) erzählt und von spätern ergänzt. Danach kam B., wegen eines Mordes flüchtig, zu Proitos, König von Argos, der den Verwandten gastfreundlich aufnahm und sühnte. Hier faßte die Königin Anteia, nach andern Stheneboia, eine sträfliche Liebe zu B., und als B. diese Neigung nicht erwiderte, verleumdete sie ihn bei ihrem Gemahl, daß er sie habe verführen wollen. Proitos schickte B. zu seinem Schwiegervater Jobates, König von Lykien, mit dem in geheimen Zeichen abgefaßten Auftrag, ihn zu töten. Jobates befahl dem B. zuerst, die feuerspeiende, dreigestaltige Chimaira (s. d.) zu erlegen, welche B. auch, auf dem geflügelten Pferde Pegasos reitend, tötete. Sodann sandte ihn Jobates gegen die Solymer, später gegen die Amazonen; als er auch diese besiegt und die lykischen Krieger, die ihn aus einem Hinterhalt ermorden sollten, getötet hatte, gab ihm Jobates seine Tochter Philonoe zur Gemahlin, die ihm den Isandros, Hippolochos und die Laodameia gebar. Nach Euripides rächte er sich an Stheneboia, indem er sie zu sich auf den Pegasos lockte und dann ins Meer stürzte. Allein B. ward den Göttern verhaßt und schwermütig, und Ares tötete Isandros, Artemis die Laodameia. Nach Pindar wollte er sich auf dem Pegasos zum Olymp emporschwingen, wurde aber von dem Rosse abgeworfen; auch diese Sage hat Euripides behandelt. B. wurde in Korinth und Lykien göttlich verehrt. Nach neuerer Auffassung ist B. ein Gewitterheros, und sein Kampf vom Pegasos mit der Chimaira das Bild des Gewitters. Von der bildenden Kunst sind die meisten Sagen von B. vielfach dargestellt worden; so namentlich die von der Bändigung und Tränkung des Pegasos (s. vorstehende Figur), von der Erlegung der Chimaira und von seinem Verhältnisse zu Proitos und Stheneboia. - Vgl. Fischer, Bellerophon (Lpz. 1851); Engelmann in den "Annali" des Archäologischen Instituts (Rom 1874); Braun, Zwölf Basreliefs griech. Erfindung (Taf. 1).
^[Abb.]
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Bellerophon, according to Greek legend the son of Corinth. King Glaucus son of Sisyphus (or son of Poseidon). His legend is told by Homer (Il. 6, 152-205) and supplemented by later ones. After that B., fleeing a murder, came to Proitos, king of Argos, who received his relatives hospitably and atoned for them. Here Queen Anteia, according to others Stheneboia, fell in love with B., and when B. did not return this affection, she slandered him to her husband for wanting to seduce her. Proitos sent B. to his father-in-law, Jobates, king of Lycia, with instructions, formulated in secret signs, to kill him. Jobates first ordered B. to kill the fire-breathing, three-figure Chimaira (s.d.), which B. also killed, riding on the winged horse Pegasus. Then Jobates sent him against the Solymians, later against the Amazons; when he had defeated them too and killed the Lycian warriors who were supposed to murder him from an ambush, Jobates gave him his daughter Philonoe to wife, who bore him Isandros, Hippolochus and Laodamea. According to Euripides, he took revenge on Stheneboia by luring her to him on the Pegasus and then throwing her into the sea. But B. was hated by the gods and melancholy, and Ares killed Isandros, Artemis killed Laodameia. According to Pindar, he wanted to mount Pegasos to mount Olympus, but was thrown off the horse; Euripides also dealt with this legend. B. was divinely worshiped in Corinth and Lycia. According to more recent views, B. is a thunderstorm hero, and his fight of Pegasos with the Chimaira is the image of the thunderstorm. Most of B.'s sagas have been portrayed in many ways in the visual arts; especially those of the taming and watering of Pegasus (see figure above), of the slaying of the Chimaira and of his relationship to Proitos and Stheneboia. - Cf. Fischer, Bellerophon (Lpz. 1851); Engelmann in the "Annali" of the Archaeological Institute (Rome 1874); Braun, Twelve bas-reliefs of Greek invention (plate 1). ^[Fig.]
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Bellerophon, prema grčkoj legendi, sin Korinta. Kralj Glauk sin Sizifa (ili Posejdonov sin). Njegovu legendu pripovijeda Homer (Il. 6, 152-205) i dopunjuje je kasnijim. Nakon toga B. je, bježeći od ubojstva, došao do Proitosa, kralja Arga, koji je gostoljubivo primio svoje rođake i okajao ih. Ovdje se kraljica Anteia, prema drugima Stheneboia, zaljubila u B., a kada B. nije uzvratio tu naklonost, oklevetala ga je svom mužu da ju je htio zavesti. Proitos je poslao B. svome tastu Jobatesu, kralju Licije, s uputama, formuliranim u tajnim znakovima, da ga ubije. Jobates je najprije naredio B.-u da ubije vatru koja diše, trofiguru Chimairu (s.d.), koju je i B. ubio, jašući na krilatom konju Pegazu. Tada ga je Jobates poslao protiv Solimanaca, kasnije protiv Amazonki; kada je i njih porazio i ubio likijske ratnike koji su ga trebali ubiti iz zasjede, Jobat mu je dao svoju kćer Filonoju za ženu, koja mu je rodila Isandrosa, Hipoloha i Laodameju. Prema Euripidu, osvetio se Steneboji tako što je namamio k sebi na Pegazu i potom je bacio u more. Ali B. su mrzili bogovi i melankolija, a Ares je ubio Isandrosa, Artemida je ubila Laodameju. Prema Pindaru, htio je uzjahati Pegasos na Olimp, ali je zbačen s konja; Euripid se također bavio ovom legendom. B. je bio božanski štovan u Korintu i Likiji. Prema novijim pogledima, B. je heroj grmljavine, a njegova borba Pegasosa s Chimairom slika je grmljavine. Većina B.-ovih saga na mnogo je načina prikazana u likovnoj umjetnosti; posebno one o pripitomljavanju i napojivanju Pegasosa (vidi gornju sliku), o ubijanju Chimaire i njegovom odnosu s Proitosom i Stheneboiom. - Usp. Fischer, Bellerophon (Lpz. 1851); Engelmanna u "Annaliju" Arheološkog instituta (Rim 1874.); Braun, Dvanaest bareljefa grčkog izuma (ploča 1).
German postcard by Film-Foto-Verlag, no. A 3451/1, 1941-1944. Photo: Star-Foto-Atelier / Tobis.
Harry Baur (1880-1943) was a famous French film and stage actor. Directed by directors as wide-ranging as Julien Duvivier, Raymond Bernard, Abel Gance, Marcel L'Herbier, Pierre Chenal, Robert Siodmak and Maurice Tourneur, he switched just as easily from père Lepic of Poil de carotte, to commissaire Maigret, Jean Valjean from Les Misérables, judge Porphyre from Crime et chatiment, Hérode, Tarass Boulba, Beethoven, captain Mollenard, czar Paul I, Rasputin, and Volpone.
Henri-Marie Rodolphe Baur, better known as Harry Baur, was born on 12 April 1880 in Paris. His parents were catholic people from the Alsace, his father from Mulhouse, and his mother from Bitche en Moselle. They were ruined after theft and had to move to ever more modest dwellings. Baur’s father died when Harry was 10, so his mother and his sister Blanche raised him. He first did college at Saint-Nazaire. To escape the religious education his family wanted him to take, he fled to Marseille and joined the rugby team of the XVth Olympic Games in Marseille. Here he started studies at the École d'Hydrographie and enrolled in various odd jobs such as peddler, carter, braider of funeral wreaths, etc. Slowly he managed to start a career as a stage actor. As he was refused at the Conservatoire in Paris, he took private lessons. He first enlisted at the Comédie Mondaine in 'Le Filleul du 31', then received his first awards for tragedy in 'Le Cid' and for comedy with 'L'Avare' at the Conservatoire in Marseille, while he did military service in Le Mans. He became the secretary of the famous actor-director Mounet-Sully. From 1904 on, he played in numerous Parisian theatres: Comédie Mondaine, Grand Guignol, Palais-Royal, and Mathurins; later he also played with Gémier and Antoine. Because of a beginning facial paralysis, he didn’t have to do service when war broke out in 1914, so he continued to play at the Gaîté-Lyrique, the Ambigu, the Porte Saint-Martin, the Gymnase, the Édouard VII, the Variétés, etc. Baur also collaborated as a film reviewer for Crapouillot, under the pseudonym of Orido de Fhair. By the early 1910s, Baur had become not only a man of substance in the diversity of his career but also physically. Between 1909 and 1914, Harry Baur performed in almost 30 silent films. He started at Eclair with Beethoven (1908) by Victorin Jasset, but worked at Pathé as well from 1909, a.o. in the Vidoq films (1909-1911), and the Film d’art films such as L’Assommoir (Albert Capellani 1909) after Zola. At Eclair he worked a.o. with director Maurice Tourneur in Monsieur Lecoq (1914). With Mistinguett, Baur played in Fleur de Paris (André Hugon 1916) and Chignon d’or (André Hugon 1916), with Albert Dieudonné in Sous la griffe (Diedonné 1921), and in La voyante (Leon Abrams, Louis Mercaton 1923) he played opposite Sarah Bernhardt. Between 1924 and the arrival of French sound film Baur was away from the screen and focused on the stage. In 1910 Baur married actress Rose Cremer, known as Rose Grande, and they had three children. In 1931, Rose Grande died during a trip to Algeria. Baur then married Rika Radifé, a stage actress as well, and of Turkish origin (her real name was Rebecca Behar).
In late 1931 Baur started a triumph with his interpretation of César in Marcel Pagnol’s play Fanny, the sequel to his Marius. Baur had substituted the great actor Raimu in this role and would become a fierce competitor to Raimu all through the 1930s, both on stage and on the silver screen. Earlier that year 1931 one of Baur’s first sound films had been released: David Golder, directed by Julien Duvivier, who supposedly had brought Baur back to the screen – Duvivier was Baur’s most important director in the 1930s. The timing of David Golder is not entirely clear, as in 1931 Baur also went to London to act in an early French talkie shot there at British International Pictures: Le cap perdu by E.A. Dupont, a multilingual. While Le cap perdu remains forgotten, David Golder, about a Jewish banker betrayed, was a huge success in France at the time. And this even when it was almost shot like a silent film, at the Basque Coast. It was a clever streak for Duvivier to relaunch Baur with this topic as Harry Baur had already been successful in a stage version of it at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris. In March 1931, the moment David Golder was released in France, Baur started production for Jean Kemm’s Le juif polonais (1931), about a man who is haunted by his murder; the film was all created for Baur to excel but it wasn’t as lucrative as David Golder. After this followed Criminel (1932) by Jack Forrester, in which Baur was a prison warden, while a debuting Jean Servais played an innocently condemned young man who is involved in a crime within the prison.
After this, Baur played in three films by Julien Duvivier. The first was Les cinq gentlemen maudits (1932) with René Lefèvre and Robert Le Vigan. Parallel Duvivier shot a German version with Adolf Wohlbruck, Camilla Horn, and Jack Trevor. Exteriors were shot at Fez, Marrakech and Moulay-Idriss. The press praised Duvivier’s taste for atmosphere, picturesque and exoticism. Next was the adaptation of Jules Renard’s novel Poil de Carotte, with Harry Baur as the unforgettable Monsieur Lepic next to the young Robert Lynen (they shared the same destiny, as Lynen was a member of the Resistance in the war, who was imprisoned in 1943 and executed by the Germans in 1944). For his sound version of Poil de Carotte Duvivier borrowed from other works of Renard as well, such as La Bigote. In 1926 Duvivier had already made a silent version with André Heuzé as Poil de Carotte and Henry Krauss as M. Lepic. Harry Baur had a very precise idea of how to play Lepic and was a perfectionist in his creation. Poil de Carotte had a prosperous release in Paris in November 1932, with praise for Harry Baur. Not wanting to let go of his star Duvivier had Baur play commissaire Maigret in La tête d’un homme (1932). While Simenon thought Baur was too old for the part, too tragic, the film is considered one of the best adaptations.
In 1932 Baur played Monsieur de Tréville, captain of the King’s guards in the very flourishing sound version of Les trois mousquetaires (1932) shot by the same Henri Diamant-Berger, who had done a silent version a decade before; then a serial in 12 episodes, now a two-part sound version, entitled Les ferrets de la reine and Milady. Baur was coupled with Pierre Blanchar in Cette vieille canaille (Anatole Litvak 1933) and again in Crime et chatiment (1935) by Pierre Chenal. While Baur did not convince as a clochard who is a distant relative of the Rothschild family in Rotchild (Marco de Gastyne 1933), he came back full fling as Jean Valjean in Raymond Bernard’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Misérables, shot in 1933. For six months shooting took place in Paris and the South of France. Costars were Charles Vanel as Javert and Josseline Gael as Cosette. Because of its length, the film was released in two parts. It became Baur’s best-performed film performance and some say the best film interpretation of Hugo’s famous character. Because of the European success, Baur received Hollywood offers but declined; he didn’t want to leave Paris.
After two lesser films, Un homme en or by Jean Dréville, and Le greluchon delicat by Jean Choux, Baur was going places with Les nuits moscovites (Alexis Granowski 1934), based on a novel by Pierre Benoit, and marking the debut of Neapolitan singer-actor Tino Rossi. Harry Baur played a course, rich Russian wheat trader, opposite Annabella and Pierre-Richard Wilm. The success of the film caused producers to offer Baur one ‘Russian’ film after another. At the time films shot by and with fled White Russians were popular in France. After that it is time to play Herod in Duvivier’s Golgotha (1935), co-starring Jean Gabin as Pontius Pilate, Robert le Vigan as Jesus and Edwige Feuillère as Claudia Procula. General Production offered Baur in 1935 the part of Judge Porphyre in Pierre Chenal’s Crime et chatiment, based on Dostoyevsky's novel. The confrontation between Baur and Pierre Blanchar was the climax of this thriving film, which launched the career of Chenal in the 1930s. Blanchar obtained an award in Venice for his part, while the sets were highly stylized, inspired by German Expressionism. This might have inspired Duvivier to do a remake of the Expressionist classic Der Golem by Paul Wegener: Le Golem (1935), with Baur playing Emperor Rudolph and with shooting at studios in Prague, where the story takes place. Baur then went to London for an English version of Nuits moscovites, Moscow Nights (1935), shot by Anthony Asquith. In 1935 Maurice Tourneur, with whom Baur had worked together in the 1910s, shot Samson (released in France in 1936), a modern drama based on a play by Henry Bernstein that already had been adapted for silent cinema before and involved adultery and the power of money. Gaby Morlay and Baur were the central couple whose silences were as telling as their words. Costars were André Luguet, Gabrielle Dorziat, André Lefaur, and Suzy Prim. Then it was imperial Russia time again with Les yeux noirs (Viktor Tourjansky 1936) with Baur and Simone Simon, before moving over to the Hungarian steppes for Alexis Granowsky’s direction of Tarass Boulba (1936), based on Gogol’s novel and adapted by French author Pierre Benoît. It was both critically and commercially Baur’s biggest success since Les Misérables. The wild and intense portrait of Boulba by Baur impressed audiences; the role matched him perfectly.
For Les hommes nouveaux (1936), director Marcel L’Herbier shot the first documentary part on the pacification of Morocco with actor Gabriel Signoret made up as marshal Lyautey, whom all thought had a striking resemblance. Baur had a supporting part as Maurice de Tolly, inspector general. While the film was a clear colonial product, L’Herbier’s most important drive was to ignite the fire of national patriotism in light of the growing German military force. While a young Jean Marais had one of his first roles here, his main co-stars were Nathalie Paley and Signoret. While the film Paris (Jean Choux 1936) disappointed audiences as a too old-fashioned melodrama about a taxi driver who despairs when a young well-to-do abandons his child. Instead, Abel Gance gave Baur a great part in the title role of Un grand amour de Beethoven (1936), a character Baur had played in his first film. In 1936 Jacques de Baroncelli did a remake of his own Nitchevo (1926), a silent film about a submarine, then with Vanel as the commander, now with Baur. After a break in Italy, Duvivier asked Baur to play a man turned Dominican monk in his well-known bitter film Un carnet de bal (1937). In the film, a young widow (Marie Bell) revisits the dancers from her old booklet, but they are all disappointments. The film was a worldwide success and was awarded the Coppa Mussolini for the best foreign film in Venice. Next Baur took the boat to Algeria for the shooting of Sarati le Terrible by André Hugon, in which Baur played a sordid brute, who rules the underworld of the docks in Algiers. He remained within the exotic with his part as an Arabian sheikh in West Africa in Les secrets de la Mer Rouge (Richard Pottier 1937). In 1937 two more films followed, which were both released the year after. First another old Russian story, Nostalgie (1938) by again Tourjansky, and then Mollenard (1938) by Robert Siodmak, a Shanghai set film shot at Dunkerque, with the help of set designer Alexandre Trauner. Mollenard was one of the finest films of the era and meant a memorable part for Baur. Young Robert Lynen again played his son. Siodmak faced many problems during the making of this film: he lost good money over the competition with Duvivier on the adaptation rights, he had trouble finding producers, and at the start of shooting Baur had a heart attack, though without consequences. A third film that started in 1937 but was released in 1938 was L’Herbier’s production La tragédie impériale (1938), on the life of Rasputin and his power during the reign of the last czar Nicolas II. Baur had made a considerable study of his character; he also wore false high heels in his shoes and lost considerable weight to look more like his character.
While during the mid-1930s Baur had been extremely active, in 1938 he did less, perhaps warned by his attack. That year he completed his cycle of ‘Russian’ films with Maurice Tourneur’s remake of The Patriot (1938), about the last days of the mad czar Paul I. In 1928 Ernst Lubitsch had done a silent version with Emil Jannings in the lead, it won an Academy Award for the best scenario. In March-April 1939 the exteriors were shot for Jacques de Baroncelli’s film L’homme du Niger were shot in Sudan, under great difficulty. The film was selected for the first Cannes Film Festival of 1939, but because of the war that never took place. Baur left Sudan to go to Casablanca where Jean Dréville waited for him to perform in Le président Haudecoeur (1940). After that interiors were shot at the studios of Marcel Pagnol. The film came out on French screens on 11 April 1940. When France entered the world war most film shootings stopped temporarily. Many actors were mobilised but not all, so work could be done on the film Volpone (1940), directed by Tourneur, based on Ben Jonson’s classic text and released in Paris on 10 May 1941. The German army occupied Paris in June 1940. Film activities were slowed down but theatres reopened, so Baur went to the Théâtre du Gymnase for a reprisal of Jazz, directed by Pagnol. During a large orchestrated campaign from late 1940-early 1941, Harry Baur was heavily criticized by the right-wing anti-semitic press, accusing him of being a Jew and a Freemason. As much as he could Baur explained his Christian roots. The first film produced by Continental Films, the German film company active in France during the war, was L’assassinat du père Noël (Christian Jaque 1941). Hidden intentions were discovered in the dialogues written by Charles Spaak. Harry Baur had a grand part in the film as père Cornusse, maker of maps of the world. His co-stars were Raymond Rouleau and Renée Faure. In 1941 Tourneur asked Baur the last time for his film Pechés de jeunesse. Then things go wrong when Baur goes to Germany to play the male lead in a German production, Symphonie eines Leben (Heinz Bertram 1942), co-starring Henny Porten and Gisela Uhlen. The shootings took place from February to May 1942. In the meantime, the French slander of Baur being a Jew reaches Goebbels as well and in May 1942 Baur and his second wife are arrested. Baur is questioned, tortured and imprisoned. In September 1942 he is released, weighing just 40 kilos instead of around 100. He never recovers from his torture and dies on 8 April 1943 in Paris. NB French Wikipedia states he was only released just before his death, to die at his home. This is also what Hal Erickson writes; Erickson also writes the couple was arrested during the shooting in Berlin; first Rika as she was Jewish, then Harry trying to defend her. Cinememorial instead claims they were arrested in Paris by the Gestapo. Baur’s funeral took place at the church of St. Philippe du Roule and attracted the Tout-Paris of screen and stage. He was buried at the cimetière Saint-Vincent in Montmartre, where his tomb still attracts visitors. Baur’s wife Rika survived the German maltreatment. In 1953 she took over the Theatre des Maturins in Paris and ran it for decades.
PS Strangely enough, English Wikipedia apparently still pursues the nazi rumour that Baur was Jewish, while all other sources deny this. English Wikipedia also claims he was tortured to death, which is not exactly true as well. French and German Wikipedia mixed up dates: they state that Symphonie eines Lebens, once finished in September 1942, did not stop Baur to play, while a little lower they also state that in May 1942 Baur was arrested and was released in September 1942 as a total wreck. Filmportal.de indicates the dates for the shooting of Symphonie eines Lebens, while German Wikipedia also writes that director Bertram was expelled from the Reichskulturkammer that year. Finally, German IMDb states the film had its German premiere on 21 April 1943, just a few days after Baur died, so he never saw the film finished.
Sources: www.filmportal.de, Cinememorial, CineTom (CineTom): ‘Harry Baur’. CineTom has the most extensive biography, based on Hervé le Boterf’s published biography 'Harry Baur', Wikipedia (French, German and English) and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Matthew 15 [The Voice]
Jesus: Why do you violate God’s command because of your tradition? ...” Haven’t you let your tradition trump the word of God? You hypocrites! Isaiah must have had you in mind when he prophesied,
People honor Me with their lips,
but their hearts are nowhere near Me.
Because they elevate mere human ritual to the status of law,
their worship of Me is a meaningless sham.
(to the multitude) Hear and understand this: - What you put into your mouth cannot make you clean or unclean; it is what comes out of your mouth that can make you unclean.
Every plant planted by someone other than My heavenly Father will be plucked up by the roots. So let them be. They are blind guides. What happens when one blind person leads another? Both of them fall into a ditch.
..the things that come out of your mouth—your curses, your fears, your denunciations—these come from your heart, and it is the stirrings of your heart that can make you unclean. For your heart harbors evil thoughts—fantasies of murder, adultery, and whoring; fantasies of stealing, lying, and slandering. These make you unclean—not eating with a hand you’ve not ritually purified with a splash of water and a prayer.
French postcard by Greff Editions, Paris, no. 21. Photo: Studio Harcourt.
Harry Baur (1880-1943) was a famous French film and stage actor. Directed by directors as wide-ranging as Julien Duvivier, Raymond Bernard, Abel Gance, Marcel L'Herbier, Pierre Chenal, Robert Siodmak and Maurice Tourneur, he switched just as easily from père Lepic of Poil de carotte, to commissaire Maigret, Jean Valjean from Les Misérables, judge Porphyre from Crime et chatiment, Hérode, Tarass Boulba, Beethoven, captain Mollenard, czar Paul I, Rasputin, and Volpone.
Henri-Marie Rodolphe Baur, better known as Harry Baur, was born on 12 April 1880 in Paris. His parents were catholic people from the Alsace, his father from Mulhouse, and his mother from Bitche en Moselle. They were ruined after theft and had to move to ever more modest dwellings. Baur’s father died when Harry was 10, so his mother and his sister Blanche raised him. He first did college at Saint-Nazaire. To escape the religious education his family wanted him to take, he fled to Marseille and joined the rugby team of the XVth Olympic Games in Marseille. Here he started studies at the École d'Hydrographie and enrolled in various odd jobs such as peddler, carter, braider of funeral wreaths, etc. Slowly he managed to start a career as a stage actor. As he was refused at the Conservatoire in Paris, he took private lessons. He first enlisted at the Comédie Mondaine in 'Le Filleul du 31', then received his first awards for tragedy in 'Le Cid' and for comedy with 'L'Avare' at the Conservatoire in Marseille, while he did military service in Le Mans. He became the secretary of the famous actor-director Mounet-Sully. From 1904 on, he played in numerous Parisian theatres: Comédie Mondaine, Grand Guignol, Palais-Royal, and Mathurins; later he also played with Gémier and Antoine. Because of a beginning facial paralysis, he didn’t have to do service when war broke out in 1914, so he continued to play at the Gaîté-Lyrique, the Ambigu, the Porte Saint-Martin, the Gymnase, the Édouard VII, the Variétés, etc. Baur also collaborated as a film reviewer for Crapouillot, under the pseudonym of Orido de Fhair. By the early 1910s, Baur had become not only a man of substance in the diversity of his career but also physically. Between 1909 and 1914, Harry Baur performed in almost 30 silent films. He started at Eclair with Beethoven (1908) by Victorin Jasset, but worked at Pathé as well from 1909, a.o. in the Vidoq films (1909-1911), and the Film d’art films such as L’Assommoir (Albert Capellani 1909) after Zola. At Eclair he worked a.o. with director Maurice Tourneur in Monsieur Lecoq (1914). With Mistinguett, Baur played in Fleur de Paris (André Hugon 1916) and Chignon d’or (André Hugon 1916), with Albert Dieudonné in Sous la griffe (Diedonné 1921), and in La voyante (Leon Abrams, Louis Mercaton 1923) he played opposite Sarah Bernhardt. Between 1924 and the arrival of French sound film Baur was away from the screen and focused on the stage. In 1910 Baur married actress Rose Cremer, known as Rose Grande, and they had three children. In 1931, Rose Grande died during a trip to Algeria. Baur then married Rika Radifé, a stage actress as well, and of Turkish origin (her real name was Rebecca Behar).
In late 1931 Baur started a triumph with his interpretation of César in Marcel Pagnol’s play Fanny, the sequel to his Marius. Baur had substituted the great actor Raimu in this role and would become a fierce competitor to Raimu all through the 1930s, both on stage and on the silver screen. Earlier that year 1931 one of Baur’s first sound films had been released: David Golder, directed by Julien Duvivier, who supposedly had brought Baur back to the screen – Duvivier was Baur’s most important director in the 1930s. The timing of David Golder is not entirely clear, as in 1931 Baur also went to London to act in an early French talkie shot there at British International Pictures: Le cap perdu by E.A. Dupont, a multilingual. While Le cap perdu remains forgotten, David Golder, about a Jewish banker betrayed, was a huge success in France at the time. And this even when it was almost shot like a silent film, at the Basque Coast. It was a clever streak for Duvivier to relaunch Baur with this topic as Harry Baur had already been successful in a stage version of it at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris. In March 1931, the moment David Golder was released in France, Baur started production for Jean Kemm’s Le juif polonais (1931), about a man who is haunted by his murder; the film was all created for Baur to excel but it wasn’t as lucrative as David Golder. After this followed Criminel (1932) by Jack Forrester, in which Baur was a prison warden, while a debuting Jean Servais played an innocently condemned young man who is involved in a crime within the prison.
After this, Baur played in three films by Julien Duvivier. The first was Les cinq gentlemen maudits (1932) with René Lefèvre and Robert Le Vigan. Parallel Duvivier shot a German version with Adolf Wohlbruck, Camilla Horn, and Jack Trevor. Exteriors were shot at Fez, Marrakech and Moulay-Idriss. The press praised Duvivier’s taste for atmosphere, picturesque and exoticism. Next was the adaptation of Jules Renard’s novel Poil de Carotte, with Harry Baur as the unforgettable Monsieur Lepic next to the young Robert Lynen (they shared the same destiny, as Lynen was a member of the Resistance in the war, who was imprisoned in 1943 and executed by the Germans in 1944). For his sound version of Poil de Carotte Duvivier borrowed from other works of Renard as well, such as La Bigote. In 1926 Duvivier had already made a silent version with André Heuzé as Poil de Carotte and Henry Krauss as M. Lepic. Harry Baur had a very precise idea of how to play Lepic and was a perfectionist in his creation. Poil de Carotte had a prosperous release in Paris in November 1932, with praise for Harry Baur. Not wanting to let go of his star Duvivier had Baur play commissaire Maigret in La tête d’un homme (1932). While Simenon thought Baur was too old for the part, too tragic, the film is considered one of the best adaptations.
In 1932 Baur played Monsieur de Tréville, captain of the King’s guards in the very flourishing sound version of Les trois mousquetaires (1932) shot by the same Henri Diamant-Berger, who had done a silent version a decade before; then a serial in 12 episodes, now a two-part sound version, entitled Les ferrets de la reine and Milady. Baur was coupled with Pierre Blanchar in Cette vieille canaille (Anatole Litvak 1933) and again in Crime et chatiment (1935) by Pierre Chenal. While Baur did not convince as a clochard who is a distant relative of the Rothschild family in Rotchild (Marco de Gastyne 1933), he came back full fling as Jean Valjean in Raymond Bernard’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Misérables, shot in 1933. For six months shooting took place in Paris and the South of France. Costars were Charles Vanel as Javert and Josseline Gael as Cosette. Because of its length, the film was released in two parts. It became Baur’s best-performed film performance and some say the best film interpretation of Hugo’s famous character. Because of the European success, Baur received Hollywood offers but declined; he didn’t want to leave Paris.
After two lesser films, Un homme en or by Jean Dréville, and Le greluchon delicat by Jean Choux, Baur was going places with Les nuits moscovites (Alexis Granowski 1934), based on a novel by Pierre Benoit, and marking the debut of Neapolitan singer-actor Tino Rossi. Harry Baur played a course, rich Russian wheat trader, opposite Annabella and Pierre-Richard Wilm. The success of the film caused producers to offer Baur one ‘Russian’ film after another. At the time films shot by and with fled White Russians were popular in France. After that it is time to play Herod in Duvivier’s Golgotha (1935), co-starring Jean Gabin as Pontius Pilate, Robert le Vigan as Jesus and Edwige Feuillère as Claudia Procula. General Production offered Baur in 1935 the part of Judge Porphyre in Pierre Chenal’s Crime et chatiment, based on Dostoyevsky's novel. The confrontation between Baur and Pierre Blanchar was the climax of this thriving film, which launched the career of Chenal in the 1930s. Blanchar obtained an award in Venice for his part, while the sets were highly stylized, inspired by German Expressionism. This might have inspired Duvivier to do a remake of the Expressionist classic Der Golem by Paul Wegener: Le Golem (1935), with Baur playing Emperor Rudolph and with shooting at studios in Prague, where the story takes place. Baur then went to London for an English version of Nuits moscovites, Moscow Nights (1935), shot by Anthony Asquith. In 1935 Maurice Tourneur, with whom Baur had worked together in the 1910s, shot Samson (released in France in 1936), a modern drama based on a play by Henry Bernstein that already had been adapted for silent cinema before and involved adultery and the power of money. Gaby Morlay and Baur were the central couple whose silences were as telling as their words. Costars were André Luguet, Gabrielle Dorziat, André Lefaur, and Suzy Prim. Then it was imperial Russia time again with Les yeux noirs (Viktor Tourjansky 1936) with Baur and Simone Simon, before moving over to the Hungarian steppes for Alexis Granowsky’s direction of Tarass Boulba (1936), based on Gogol’s novel and adapted by French author Pierre Benoît. It was both critically and commercially Baur’s biggest success since Les Misérables. The wild and intense portrait of Boulba by Baur impressed audiences; the role matched him perfectly.
For Les hommes nouveaux (1936), director Marcel L’Herbier shot the first documentary part on the pacification of Morocco with actor Gabriel Signoret made up as marshal Lyautey, whom all thought had a striking resemblance. Baur had a supporting part as Maurice de Tolly, inspector general. While the film was a clear colonial product, L’Herbier’s most important drive was to ignite the fire of national patriotism in light of the growing German military force. While a young Jean Marais had one of his first roles here, his main co-stars were Nathalie Paley and Signoret. While the film Paris (Jean Choux 1936) disappointed audiences as a too old-fashioned melodrama about a taxi driver who despairs when a young well-to-do abandons his child. Instead, Abel Gance gave Baur a great part in the title role of Un grand amour de Beethoven (1936), a character Baur had played in his first film. In 1936 Jacques de Baroncelli did a remake of his own Nitchevo (1926), a silent film about a submarine, then with Vanel as the commander, now with Baur. After a break in Italy, Duvivier asked Baur to play a man turned Dominican monk in his well-known bitter film Un carnet de bal (1937). In the film, a young widow (Marie Bell) revisits the dancers from her old booklet, but they are all disappointments. The film was a worldwide success and was awarded the Coppa Mussolini for the best foreign film in Venice. Next Baur took the boat to Algeria for the shooting of Sarati le Terrible by André Hugon, in which Baur played a sordid brute, who rules the underworld of the docks in Algiers. He remained within the exotic with his part as an Arabian sheikh in West Africa in Les secrets de la Mer Rouge (Richard Pottier 1937). In 1937 two more films followed, which were both released the year after. First another old Russian story, Nostalgie (1938) by again Tourjansky, and then Mollenard (1938) by Robert Siodmak, a Shanghai set film shot at Dunkerque, with the help of set designer Alexandre Trauner. Mollenard was one of the finest films of the era and meant a memorable part for Baur. Young Robert Lynen again played his son. Siodmak faced many problems during the making of this film: he lost good money over the competition with Duvivier on the adaptation rights, he had trouble finding producers, and at the start of shooting Baur had a heart attack, though without consequences. A third film that started in 1937 but was released in 1938 was L’Herbier’s production La tragédie impériale (1938), on the life of Rasputin and his power during the reign of the last czar Nicolas II. Baur had made a considerable study of his character; he also wore false high heels in his shoes and lost considerable weight to look more like his character.
While during the mid-1930s Baur had been extremely active, in 1938 he did less, perhaps warned by his attack. That year he completed his cycle of ‘Russian’ films with Maurice Tourneur’s remake of The Patriot (1938), about the last days of the mad czar Paul I. In 1928 Ernst Lubitsch had done a silent version with Emil Jannings in the lead, it won an Academy Award for the best scenario. In March-April 1939 the exteriors were shot for Jacques de Baroncelli’s film L’homme du Niger were shot in Sudan, under great difficulty. The film was selected for the first Cannes Film Festival of 1939, but because of the war that never took place. Baur left Sudan to go to Casablanca where Jean Dréville waited for him to perform in Le président Haudecoeur (1940). After that interiors were shot at the studios of Marcel Pagnol. The film came out on French screens on 11 April 1940. When France entered the world war most film shootings stopped temporarily. Many actors were mobilised but not all, so work could be done on the film Volpone (1940), directed by Tourneur, based on Ben Jonson’s classic text and released in Paris on 10 May 1941. The German army occupied Paris in June 1940. Film activities were slowed down but theatres reopened, so Baur went to the Théâtre du Gymnase for a reprisal of Jazz, directed by Pagnol. During a large orchestrated campaign from late 1940-early 1941, Harry Baur was heavily criticized by the right-wing anti-semitic press, accusing him of being a Jew and a Freemason. As much as he could Baur explained his Christian roots. The first film produced by Continental Films, the German film company active in France during the war, was L’assassinat du père Noël (Christian Jaque 1941). Hidden intentions were discovered in the dialogues written by Charles Spaak. Harry Baur had a grand part in the film as père Cornusse, maker of maps of the world. His co-stars were Raymond Rouleau and Renée Faure. In 1941 Tourneur asked Baur the last time for his film Pechés de jeunesse. Then things go wrong when Baur goes to Germany to play the male lead in a German production, Symphonie eines Leben (Heinz Bertram 1942), co-starring Henny Porten and Gisela Uhlen. The shootings took place from February to May 1942. In the meantime, the French slander of Baur being a Jew reaches Goebbels as well and in May 1942 Baur and his second wife are arrested. Baur is questioned, tortured and imprisoned. In September 1942 he is released, weighing just 40 kilos instead of around 100. He never recovers from his torture and dies on 8 April 1943 in Paris. NB French Wikipedia states he was only released just before his death, to die at his home. This is also what Hal Erickson writes; Erickson also writes the couple was arrested during the shooting in Berlin; first Rika as she was Jewish, then Harry trying to defend her. Cinememorial instead claims they were arrested in Paris by the Gestapo. Baur’s funeral took place at the church of St. Philippe du Roule and attracted the Tout-Paris of screen and stage. He was buried at the cimetière Saint-Vincent in Montmartre, where his tomb still attracts visitors. Baur’s wife Rika survived the German maltreatment. In 1953 she took over the Theatre des Maturins in Paris and ran it for decades.
PS Strangely enough, English Wikipedia apparently still pursues the nazi rumour that Baur was Jewish, while all other sources deny this. English Wikipedia also claims he was tortured to death, which is not exactly true as well. French and German Wikipedia mixed up dates: they state that Symphonie eines Lebens, once finished in September 1942, did not stop Baur to play, while a little lower they also state that in May 1942 Baur was arrested and was released in September 1942 as a total wreck. Filmportal.de indicates the dates for the shooting of Symphonie eines Lebens, while German Wikipedia also writes that director Bertram was expelled from the Reichskulturkammer that year. Finally, German IMDb states the film had its German premiere on 21 April 1943, just a few days after Baur died, so he never saw the film finished.
Sources: www.filmportal.de, Cinememorial, CineTom (CineTom): ‘Harry Baur’. CineTom has the most extensive biography, based on Hervé le Boterf’s published biography 'Harry Baur', Wikipedia (French, German and English) and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Best Served Large-An awesome mist descends over this remote pasture in the outskirts of Tyler, Texas. It can even be seen here in black and white/infrared.
Every season has its own glory (James Watkins)
Every season has its own glory,
Every purpose has its own time,
Every moment has its own story,
Every story has its own line.
I have walked deep into cities,
Shining brightly never to fail,
Listened to heart cries,
Lost in the morning,
Standing on corners
Stagnant and stale.
Where is the hope
That brought forth the laughter?
Where is the song?
The music unveiled?
Why are the choices so
Wasted and bitter?
Gathered in hatred,
Broken and pale.
I have seen (new) stars on the mountains,
Fed on the movement of heaven and earth-
Fired up frameworks
Of perfect perspective,
Fueled by the turning of terrible truth.
Come now and sing of mists in the forest,
Sensual sonnets of songs in the dirt-
Come and behold the delicate balance
Of seasons and reasons and rhythms
And birth.
There are the voices lost in confusion,
Crushed in the thriving, deepening swale-
Calloused and cold the circling convenience,
Crippled commotion emotions prevail.
Beacons of quiet in last true performance,
Heralded nature in singular cause-
Perfect and pure
Though wasted and slandered.
Washed by confessional
Smoldering awe.
Severed connections, squandered projections-
Revered reflections, stammering tongues-
Coined by controlling contriving convections,
In different directions now written in stone.
Now is the time to look to the heavens,
Now is the moment to take up the cause,
Now is the voice of blazing amazement,
Borne on the winds of the gathering storm.
Listen to stream, listen to forest,
Listen to flower, and staggering fawn-
Listen to voices rolling like thunder,
Drink of the waters
And dance with the dawn.
Wrapped in the garments of natural beauty,
Facing the force of burgeoning call-
Strong in the seasons of life and creation,
Firm on foundations that never will fall.
James Watkins 09-01-08
Woo-hoo! It's Britain's very own teen-idol heartthrob, Sean Harrison! Multi-talented singer, song writer and actor, Sean is a mega star across the pond, and has also enjoyed crossover success here in the United States. Prosperous with much adoration from legions of fans, and an abundance of success on two different continents, the United Kingdom hasn't seen such success since the Culture Club lol. Sean is debonair, robust, and stands tall and gallant in a dignified manner. His characteristics paint him as caring and compassionate in a “We Are the World” sort of way as proof from his involvement with “The World Hunger Shindig”, which also happens to be his debut appearance in the series. The Shindig also marked his first encounter with the love of his life, and revealed a twisted relationship that occurred between himself and the only human being vulgar enough to singe his lapel, the scandalous, Pizzazz Gabor! Fireflies lit up the night, and stars filled the sky, when Sean met Holograms keyboardist, Kimber Benton, at the ranch of Ms. Sally Brand who interrupted the festivities long enough to introduce Sean to the crowd as the liner act for her charity concert, the World Hunger Shindig. And after a quite moving performance from Jem and the Holograms, there wasn't a dry eye in the house! The very second she released her fingers from the black and white bars on her keyboard, Kimber stepped down from the stage and hustled on over to meet Sean, and the two quickly became smitten of each other. The tall Englishman sparked up a conversation about her lyrics and the possibility of writing a song together, and Kimber couldn't help but blush while elaborating ideas for a hit song. During their intimate discussion, a ball of dust barreled ahead as Eric Raymond and the Misfits came swerving up the dirt road at 80 miles per hour in a fancy Cadillac with the intent of stirring up drama as thick as molasses! Determined to rustle up as much attention as possible, the wild-haired rockers jumped out the car and, believe it or not, greeted Ms. Sally with a mild display of respect! Other than Pizzazz's casual demand to be in the charity concert at the Houston Astrodome, Eric didn't have too much apologizing to do on their part, but he was the promoter of the Shindig, so it was only fair for him to go to bat for his band and convince Ms. Sally to allow them the right to perform. The enterprising ranch owner agreed, but she specified that the Misfits would not be allowed to record for her live album unless another artist or band backed out. She then explained to Eric that they would have to shack up with him in her guesthouse, so Roxy and Stormer took off in that direction to get first dibs on the biggest bedroom available. Fighting back total control from the full moon above, Pizzazz casually crept over to Sean and reminded him of the year they met at a crummy club, in London, but he didn't care to address such negativity, so he dismissed her and politely moved along. The following morning, as Kimber sat alone feeding a bird, Sean slowly approached her and complimented her skill for taming wildlife. He also mentioned—because he didn't know much about horses—that he would love for her to join him on a trail ride. At that point, Pizzazz had formed eyes in the back of her head and the hearing ability of a gnat, and all four organs were in play while she eavesdropped on the two lovebirds from behind a tree. Later that day, Sean, Kimber, Jerrica and the remaining Holograms decided to pull themselves away from music for awhile to enjoy the scenic view and all it had to offer. Seconds later, while basking in the sun, a phone call came in on Sean's cordless phone for him to tie up a few loose strings with business, in Houston, forcing him to cut his time short with his gal and report to said destination. Later that evening, Kimber climbed aboard the hayride with her sisters and pondered her dear sweet man's whereabouts. She would have never guessed in a million years that Ms. Alligator Woman had him clamped in her grip a half hour away at Jim's Western Tavern, and was dead set on impressing him with her performance of “Gimme!, Gimme!, Gimme!” As Pizzazz's cabaret act reached its finale, Sean voiced his desire to return to the ranch and meet up with Kimber, so they departed for home. During the grueling car ride back, the outspoken dominator began lashing her tongue about his new, mellow personality, and mentioned how he used to have guts! As usual, Sean didn't give a hoot as he was more concerned about her reckless driving, and advised her to grow up and slow down. Now bubbling past her breaking point, Pizzazz glared over at the passenger side and called him a wimp! The more passive he was, the more angrier she became, and with one foot on the gas and the other on the break (damn two-footer lol), Pizzazz darted directly into the path of the hayride carrying Jem and the Holograms! Tickled pink by her own risky maneuver, she swerved around the accident and laughed uncontrollably while the hay barrel spun out of control and landed on the side of the road, in the field. With no f**ks to give, she slammed on the gas once more and drove away, leaving the scene of the accident in her rearview mirror. As the Holograms inspected the damage to their carriage, Jerrica turned and asked Kimber if she noticed who was sitting in the passenger side of the car at which moment she admitted that she had, and vowed never to speak to him again! The following night, backstage at the concert, Sean spotted Kimber with her girls and whisked himself over to explain his side of the story, admitting flat out that he should have been with her, but Pizzazz kept him from doing so. All she needed to do was look into his eyes and Kimber forgave her guy. As for Pizzi, she's always had a hard time comprehending that nice girls, such as Kimber, start AND win the race! Their time spent together during the Shindig was kismet, and the connection was undeniably strong from the start.
The two lovebirds experienced another rare encounter together, in “Scandal”, while on Venice Beach, in California, where Jem and the Holograms arrived for their scheduled interview with California Beat to promote their appearance at the Roller Rock-Out Bash. It had been a long time since she communicated with her man, so Kimber was shocked when she walked into her tent to freshen up and recognized Sean who was preparing for his own interview. The British Pop-rocker asked to have a word with her and they started in on an important conversation until he was called to film his segment. After reporting that he was in town to perform at the Roller Rock-Out Bash with his all-male Pop band, Sean walked over to the beach and noticed Kimber sitting alone writing in her diary and decided to join her. Then, in the most respectful way possible, he asked her to write a song for him, catching her off guard and leaving her stunned! The keyboardist happily agreed to create a popular tune for the Brit, and then he asked her to meet him for dinner at Los Pelomas to which she said she would be there no sooner or later than 8:00. Upon leaving for her interview, Kimber forgot to grab her purse, but a staff member for California Beat noticed and ran over to pick it up from off the bench while inadvertently knocking her diary onto the sand. Then, as bad luck would have it, Misfits saxophonist, Jetta, noticed the brightly-colored book laying next to the base of a palm tree unopened and picked it up, then jumped on back of Stormer's ATV and raced out of sight! Hours passed and Sean arrived at the restaurant on time to find that Kimber hadn't arrived yet, so he sat and waited. While chillin' at his table in VIP, he was bum-rushed by the Misfits who fixed the entire situation so that Kimber wouldn't show up at all, and arrived instead with a publisher from Cool Trash Magazine to conduct a rigged interview for their advantage! Pizzazz secured proof of her rendezvous by getting Roxy to snap a picture of herself and Jetta cozying up to the British stud in the booth, which pissed him off, so he shoved the rockstar off her seat and onto the porcelain floor where she banged her elbow super hard, then sat there for a minute in shock lol! Bored out of his gourd, Sean assumed his sweetheart wouldn't show, so he hopped over the table and dashed out of there. At the bash, Sean was just finishing up his performance with his band, when Kimber rolled in with Raya and skated out to the middle of the floor where she noticed him standing on stage. The second he spotted her, he hollered her name over the crowd, and she scooted closer to see her honey...until Pizzazz strolled in on her skates with a microphone and announced that she was “good friends” with Sean, and that she was about to add some spice to the event with her drum-banging hit, “Scandal!” When the music stopped, she slid forward and directly in front of Kimber to present her with a copy of Cool Trash Magazine that featured a picture of her face on the front cover and the title: “Kimber loves Sean, he could care less!” The reality of the scandal left her reeling in tears, and her sadness from the humiliation was more than she could ever handle, so she flew out the building and was followed by a crowd of fans who chased her into the street where she was almost hit by a bus! Out of concern for her, Sean ran outside to call her back, but she was already several feet away, weaving through traffic, and skated all the way back home and up to her bedroom where she swore she would never write again. The following night, on the Harriet Horn show, Kimber prepared for her performance with support from Jem, Shana, Aja and Raya who were ready to sock it to the Misfits with their song of redemption, “Dear Diary!” After the lights came up and Jem's wind machine whirled its last gust of wind, Harriet surprised Kimber with a special guest appearance from her British babe! The minute he appeared, Sean took full advantage of the opportunity to explain to the world that the Cool Trash interview at the restaurant was nothing but hogwash, and that Pizzazz was to blame for the entire situation. And while keeping in tune with the mood of the moment, he placed her hand in his and confirmed that he had the utmost respect for her, and then asked her again to write a song for him. The attention given to Kimber was bad medicine for Pizzazz who stood up bitterly from her seat and said SHE was supposed to write the song because she's BETTER than her. While laughing his head off, Sean raised one eyebrow and told her to quit dreaming and grow the hell up! In that moment, the atmosphere felt more like the gymnasium scene from “Carrie”, and the crowd hungered for more as Pizzazz lunged forward with a rebel yell that was heard from outside Studio A! Roxy, Stormer and Jetta were worried about getting kicked off Harriet's show, like they did on VTV, so they jumped up at once to calm her down. With only 10 seconds left on air, Kimber had gained control of the melodrama, and then answered “yes” to writing a song for her gentleman. Her response generated a chorus of cheers from the audience, and an even bigger round of applause. Just before the credits rolled on camera, Sean stood up from his seat and declared the segment as the show of all shows.
Throughout the remainder of 1987, Sean and Kimber paired up whenever the opportunity presented itself, but the distance factor proved to be one serious obstacle to conquer. His love for her was what kept him going, and she was all he could think about during his flight to California to film his latest project for Howard E. Sands' Rock musical production, in “Hollywood Jem, Part One!” Besides the fact that he was chief lyricist for the soundtrack, he also had a co-starring role as a talking robotic computer, which Kimber found pretty amusing when she discovered that it was him behind the studio screen. They were so pleased to catch up with each other on all their accomplishments, and Kimber asked for Sean to advise her if he needed help with his lyrics for the soundtrack to which Sean agreed that he would. Days later, with Rio and Jem, Sean escorted Kimber to a party, in Beverly Hills, hosted by French director, François Trésor. Casual and cool was the mood of the night as François offered Jem a role in his film. The diamond-draped singer accepted, but kindly asked if she could finish her latest project, first. And, after only 15 minutes into the gala, François blew his top at Jem’s answer, forcing herself and Rio to turn back around and exit his gathering. Kimber was affected by her sister's misfortune as François began to slander the lead vocalist's name to a few reporters who were present. So, being the thoughtful man that he is, Sean felt her discomfort and quickly whizzed her away to the Hollywood Hills to take her mind off the incident at the party. The sweet gesture captured her heart and opened her mind to the possibility of a relationship. Sean then mentioned that he wanted to make a stronger commitment to her. And with the city lights shining below, and the stars covering the sky, he pulled her close and they locked lips in a tight embrace. At that moment, Kimber grew very close to him, so close, in fact, that she mistook his affection as a proposal of marriage, and she couldn't wait to gush to Jem about it. However, before she reached cloud nine, Sean pulled her back down to earth gently and admitted that his comment was not meant to suggest they get married. He agreed to be more committed and to see her exclusively, but he wasn't exactly ready for the infinite lock and key. Emotionally crushed by the truth, Kimber apologized and said she didn't mean to rush into love, while Sean assured her that it was just fine and apologized also for not making himself more clear. The ride home was heart-wrenching for Kimber who began to get a little ahead of herself while listening to Gloria Estefan's “Anything for You” on the car stereo system, and assumed their friendship had come to a complete end. Then Eric Carmen's “Hungry Eyes” came on, commanding for Sean to look over and wink at his girl. The heart-broken Hologram secretly wished for the car ride to last forever, but they had already arrived at the front door of Starlight Mansion where her suitor dropped her off and wished her a good night. The following day, Sean stood outdoors with Rio, Jem and the crew to watch his stunt double, Jeff Wright, perform a high speed chase under a truck. Far off in the distance, on the opposite side of the set, stood Kimber who appeared wearing a pair of expensive sunglasses to hide her pain from the previous night. During his stunt, Jeff recognized the keyboardist standing alone and almost crashed while staring. When he jumped out the vehicle, the second his boots hit the ground, Kimber ran into his arms and they expressed outright happiness in seeing each other! Caught by surprise, Sean approached with caution and said he would meet her back at the studio to begin their song. Quickly consumed with jealousy, Jeff asked her about her relationship with Sean and became upset when he didn't receive the answer he was looking for, even going so far as to accuse her of leading on half the male population of California! He then sped off angrily on his motorcycle. Back at Sean's in-house studio, Kimber walked in and apologized for not mentioning the situation early on. She also drove it home that she liked him and enjoyed working with him, and Sean replied with just the same. Something clicked inside of him that day during their rehearsal session. His feelings started running deep and he couldn't shake the vibes, which was why he decided to purchase an engagement ring for his special girl at the jewelry store with a plan to propose. The next day, on set, Sean noticed Kimber a few feet away and ran over to complete the deed, but Jeff cut him off by swinging in on a rope and lifting her to a higher platform to ask her one last time for her hand in marriage! With Sean looking on, Kimber agreed to marry him, causing the agile daredevil to laugh vociferously at the news, then lift her up in his arms, like Indiana Jones, and leap onto the lower level where Kimber insisted on climbing down to the ground. Looking out below, she watched Sean slowly walk away and felt absolutely terrible, so she quickly chased him down as he marched forward feeling broken and bruised. Unaware of his feelings for her, Kimber revealed that she accepted Jeff's proposal, but the towering prince of Pop played it cool and reminded her that he wasn't ready to settle down. Seconds after, in a smart tone, he congratulated her while continuing his march to his dressing room where he junked the ring and held his head low in anguish. The gallant Brit was heated during the events leading up to Kimber's wedding day, in “Hollywood Jem, Part Two!” The clock was ticking and he needed to show her how much he really wanted her in his life...and boy did he ever! It all came to a head, when he risked his life by performing Jeff's stunt himself and raced his car directly at the speeding truck instead of UNDER as was planned! Once he lost control of the wheel there was no way of gaining it back, and soon his race car spun out of control, flipping across the road and smashing violently into a large stack of hay! The crew couldn't believe what they had seen and ran over to pull him out. The fellas then laid him down on a stretcher where Rio and Kimber stood by his side with as much help as they could possibly provide. At first, Kimber thought it was Jeff, but when the helmet came off, she discovered it was Sean and wept at the sight of her beau in pain! Rio insisted on driving her to the hospital where the two sat in the waiting room wondering what happened to their good friend. Right away, Kimber blamed herself and regretted not knowing just how upset he really was about her up-and-coming wedding. Eventually, the nurse entered the waiting room with an update on his condition and stated that he was stable, but hadn't regained consciousness. She then suggested that they both get some rest, so Rio told Kimber to go on home and that he would call her if necessary. A full day passed and Sean eventually regained consciousness with minimal discomfort from his accident, and he was DETERMINED to win his ladylove back! He was still confined to his bed due to a broken leg. So, with little time to waste, the musician sent Rio to interrupt her wedding with his ring of proposal. The plan almost failed as Jerrica gasped at the sight of her man kneeling down in front of her on bended knee for Kimber—and he did it with Sean's personalized diamond rock. Kimber was flattered, but said she couldn't possibly marry him at which point Rio announced to her and everyone there that he was doing it all for his good buddy, Sean. Turns out, Kimber and Jeff decided not to get hitched after all, and she wasted no time getting over to the hospital where Sean explained how much he cared with an official proposal of marriage from his bed. Kimber agreed, but quickly decided that it was crucial to get better acquainted before fully committing to each other. Gradually, he became mobile and was discharged from the hospital just in time for the 60th Annual Academy Awards, honoring his friend, Jem, who was nominated for “Best Actress!” Kimber was dressed in her best and was shocked, when her loverboy popped out the limousine with crutches and a leg cast to escorted her to the ceremony. The two had a blast together on that night, and Sean moved into Starlight Mansion where he and Kimber locked themselves away for a whole week before his departure from California. Despite their infrequent encounters, Sean has always been extremely fond of his lady fair, and also fully aware of a love lost due to assumptions and miscommunication—two mistakes he vowed to never make again. New Years ‘87 passed, and 1988 hurried in with “Riot's Hope”, and a memorable gathering at Stingers Sound Studios in celebration of the Stingers' debut album. The party allowed Sean and Kimber the chance to spend the evening together mingling among close friends and colleagues, and ripping up the dance floor to Riot's authoritative warning, “Take it or Leave It”, and his heart-puncturing tune, “It's a Hard, Hard Life!” Time has past since their verbal engagement at the hospital, and the connection between both musicians has grown stronger than ever before!
This set is one that I consider to be another golden treasure—something of a personal reward from Integrity Toys—and I'm very grateful and undoubtedly delighted to add him to my collection! Sean is extremely essential to the world of Jem and I am blown away by his appearance as a fashion doll. He was another pick from my top ten list of must-haves, and it sure seems as though Integrity is giving me exactly what I want because Sean (along with a majority of the dolls on my wish list) has come to fruition! This British crooner definitely stands out in the collection with just his signature jet black swoop alone! The short cut accommodates his face sculpt so well, and the dark hue immediately directs your attention to his piercing blue eyes. Speaking of which, there's something very interesting about the way Integrity constructed his pupils. To start with, their decision to add a yellow ring to both irises seems a bit unconventional, but it works for Sean! Another unavoidable feature worth point out is the outer area around his eyes. The off-brown appearance exposes a mysterious allure that almost appears a bit distressed—looks real good, though! I am astonished at the work on his blue, custom-made Burberry blazer! He wears his swanky, chain-linked lapel brooch pinned to the chest area of his jacket, and it's brilliant! There's equal appreciation for his sheer, pale green, pink-striped Oxford dress shirt, his dark purple, pin-striped Oxford trousers and his pink GQ belt! Sean also proves to have a mean shoe game choosing, from his imported collection, a pair of upscale, Bass Weejun penny loafers, and a classy pair of slick, dark blue Gianni Versace socks to dress up his feet. Only one man has the qualifications to don such a dapper getup and press forth with the utmost pride! I'm actually quite angry at the absence of his original wristwatch as depicted in Integrity's prototype pictures. From my standpoint, the dark blue/white-striped band matches perfectly with the gold bezel, both adding a ton of flare to his entire outfit! I also feel that the original wristwatch looks more fashionable and realistic. Damn! What a loss! Inside this set contains an incriminating photo and note from Pizzazz, both of which I'm sure he'd give anything to forget! The last piece of memorabilia is a final script for Howard Sands' box office smash, Starbright!
Sean Harrison was one of the defining figures of mid-‘80s Pop. His music merged the technology-intensive sound of new wave and filtered right into Synth and Rock genres effortlessly! Harrison racked up a string of hits before he retreated into being a cult symbol by the conclusion of the decade. With a whopping 87 weeks on the charts, “Romance in Modern Times” holds the record for most weeks spent on the Hot 100! And his acclaimed 1987 classic, “Benton My Belle”, has spent an amazing 30 weeks riding the Billboard 200 albums chart! Writer, composer, collaborator, producer, paired with three live albums and sold out tours...Sean Harrison-Benton-Harrison is one Brit who's proud to raise his flag high in the sky with pride! 🇬🇧
There have always been hotels in Balhannah – one in particular has a very sad history.
Balhannah was established on section 4208 in the Onkaparinga Valley: James Turnbull Thomson owned the section and named it Balhannah using his mother’s name.
She was Hannah and the Celtic prefix ‘bal’ signifies town or village.
The first survey maps of the Hundred of Onkaparinga in 1844 show “The Township of Balhannah”.
Thomson also built the first hotel in the township and let it but the tenant soon shot through.
He left and went to Sydney and London returning in 1850. He was at war with the family who built a pub next to his, accusing them of smashing 54 panes of glass in his establishment.
In 1855 Thomas applied for a general and storekeeper’s licence and was refused. His neighbour’s application for his own pub was granted.
As a consequence of continuing accusative behaviour his neighbour sued for slander and Thomson was sent to trial. The verdict was an order for £150. Thomson was granted a new trial but ordered to pay the costs. He had no money, couldn’t pay, and went to gaol for twelve months.
Little is known about him from that time except his journal entry in 1863 records that he was going blind. Thomson appears to have been a gloomy and temperamental man for whom things never went right.
On August 26 1876 two men exploring scrub near the North Arm in Port Adelaide discovered Thomson’s body. He had died alone of exhaustion and exposure. Cash of £39 and a £5 cheque was found in his pocket. The money was not used for a decent burial.
He was given a pauper’s grave in the Woodville Cemetery.
*Thomson’s hotel was a substantial two-storey brick building with a gable roof. There were eight or nine rooms, three of which were upstairs. In later years his property was purchased and pulled down with his ‘slandered’ neighbour’s hotel being extended across the site.
Thomson’s journal is held by the Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia.
Ref: Manning’s Place Names of South Australia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Nicholas_Church%2C_Berlin
The St. Nikolai-Kirche, (Nikolaikirche or St. Nicholas' Church) is the oldest church in Berlin, the capital of Germany. The church is located in the eastern part of central Berlin, the borough of Mitte. The area around the church, bounded by Spandauer Straße, Rathausstraße, the River Spree and Mühlendamm, is known as the Nikolaiviertel 'Nicholas quarter', and is an area of restored medieval buildings (in some cases recent imitations). The church was built between 1220 and 1230, and is thus, along with the Church of Our Lady at Alexanderplatz not far away, the oldest church in Berlin.
History
Originally a Roman Catholic church, the Church of St. Nicholas became a Lutheran church after the Protestant Reformation in the Electorate of Brandenburg in 1539. In the 17th century, the prominent hymn-writer Paul Gerhardt was the minister of this church, and the composer Johann Crueger was musical director. The prominent Lutheran theologian Provost Philipp Jacob Spener was the minister from 1691 to 1705. From 1913 to 1923, the minister at the Church of St. Nicholas was Wilhelm Wessel, whose son Horst Wessel later became famous as a Nazi: the family lived in the nearby Jüdenstraße.
On Reformation Day in 1938 (October 31) the church building served its congregation for the last time. Then the building, the oldest structure in Berlin proper, was given up to the government, to be used as a concert hall and ecclesiastical museum. The number of parishioners had shrunk due to the ever intensifying gentrification of the inner city, as residential premises became superseded by offices and shops. The congregation later merged with that of the Church of Our Lady.
During World War II, the Church of St. Nicholas had its roof and the tops of its towers destroyed as a result of Allied bombing. In 1949 all the vaults and the northern pillars collapsed. The ruins were located in East Berlin, and it was not until 1981 that the officially atheist East German Democratic Republic authorities permitted the rebuilding of the church with old designs and plans. Thus, the Church of St. Nicholas as seen today is largely a reconstruction. Today the church serves again as a museum and as a regular concert venue, administered by the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin (Landesmuseum für Kultur und Geschichte Berlins). There is an organ recital there almost every Friday at 5pm. It is renowned for its acoustics and the rebuilt church has been equipped with a fine set of 41 bells.
Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, toymakers, unmarried people, and students in various cities and countries around Europe. His reputation evolved among the pious, as was common for early Christian saints, and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus ("Saint Nick") through Sinterklaas.
Little is known about the historical Saint Nicholas. The earliest accounts of his life were written centuries after his death and probably contain legendary elaborations. He is said to have been born in the Greek seaport of Patara, Lycia, in Asia Minor to wealthy Christian parents. In one of the earliest attested and most famous incidents from his life, he is said to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them. Other early stories tell of him calming a storm at sea, saving three innocent soldiers from wrongful execution, and chopping down a tree possessed by a demon. In his youth, he is said to have made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Syria Palaestina. Shortly after his return, he became Bishop of Myra. He was later cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletian, but was released after the accession of Constantine.
An early list makes him an attendee at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he is never mentioned in any writings by people who were at the council. Late, unsubstantiated legends claim that he was temporarily defrocked and imprisoned during the council for slapping the heretic Arius. Another famous late legend tells how he resurrected three children, who had been murdered and pickled in brine by a butcher planning to sell them as pork during a famine.
Fewer than 200 years after Nicholas's death, the St. Nicholas Church was built in Myra under the orders of Theodosius II over the site of the church where he had served as bishop, and his remains were moved to a sarcophagus in that church. In 1087, while the Greek Christian inhabitants of the region were subjugated by the newly arrived Muslim Seljuk Turks, and soon after the beginning of the East–West schism, a group of merchants from the Italian city of Bari removed the major bones of Nicholas's skeleton from his sarcophagus in the church without authorization and brought them to their hometown, where they are now enshrined in the Basilica di San Nicola. The remaining bone fragments from the sarcophagus were later removed by Venetian sailors and taken to Venice during the First Crusade.
Very little at all is known about Saint Nicholas's historical life. Any writings Nicholas himself may have produced have been lost and he is not mentioned by any contemporary chroniclers. This is not surprising, since Nicholas lived during a turbulent time in Roman history. The earliest mentions of Saint Nicholas indicate that, by the sixth century, his following was already well-established. Less than two hundred years after Saint Nicholas's probable death, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II (ruled 401–450) ordered the building of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Myra, which thereby preserves an early mention of his name. The Byzantine historian Procopius also mentions that the Emperor Justinian I (ruled 527–565) renovated churches in Constantinople dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Priscus, which may have originally been built as early as c. 490.
Nicholas's name also occurs as "Nicholas of Myra of Lycia" on the tenth line of a list of attendees at the Council of Nicaea included by Theodore Lector in the Historiae Ecclesiasticae Tripartitae Epitome, written sometime between 510 and 515. A single, offhand mention of Nicholas of Myra also occurs in the biography of another saint, Saint Nicholas of Sion, who apparently took the name "Nicholas" to honor him. The Life of Saint Nicholas of Sion, written around 250 years after Nicholas of Myra's death, briefly mentions Nicholas of Sion visiting Nicholas's tomb to pay homage to him. According to Jeremy Seal, the fact that Nicholas had a tomb that could be visited serves as the almost solitary definitive proof that he was a real historical figure.
In his treatise De statu animarum post mortem (written c. 583), the theologian Eustratius of Constantinople cites Saint Nicholas of Myra's miracle of the three generals as evidence that souls may work independent from the body. Eustratius credits a lost Life of Saint Nicholas as his source. Nearly all the sources Eustratius references date from the late fourth century to early fifth century, indicating the Life of Saint Nicholas to which he refers was probably written during this time period, shortly after Nicholas's death. The earliest complete account of Nicholas's life that has survived to the present is a Life of Saint Nicholas, written in the early ninth century by Michael the Archimandrite (814–842), nearly 500 years after Nicholas's probable death.
Despite its extremely late date, Michael the Archimandrite's Life of Saint Nicholas is believed to heavily rely on older written sources and oral traditions. The identity and reliability of these sources, however, remains uncertain. Catholic historian D. L. Cann and medievalist Charles W. Jones both consider Michael the Archimandrite's Life the only account of Saint Nicholas that is likely to contain any historical truth.[21] Jona Lendering, a Dutch historian of classical antiquity, notes that Michael the Archimandrite's Life does not contain a "conversion narrative", which was unusual for saints' lives of the period when it was written. He therefore argues that it is possible Michael the Archimandrite may have been relying on a source written before conversion narratives became popular, which would be a positive indication of that source's reliability. He notes that many of the stories recounted by Michael the Archimandrite closely resemble stories told about the first-century AD Neopythagorean philosopher Apollonius of Tyana in the Life of Apollonius of Tyana, an eight-volume biography of him written in the early third century by the Greek writer Philostratus. Christian storytellers were known to adapt older pagan legends and attribute them to Christian saints. As Apollonius's hometown of Tyana was not far from Myra, Lendering contends that many popular stories about Apollonius may have become attached to Saint Nicholas.
Family and background
Accounts of Saint Nicholas's life agree on the essence of his story, but modern historians disagree regarding how much of this story is actually rooted in historical fact. Traditionally, Nicholas was born in the city of Patara (Lycia et Pamphylia), a port on the Mediterranean Sea, in Asia Minor in the Roman Empire, to a wealthy family of Greek Christians. According to some accounts, his parents were named Epiphanius (Ἐπιφάνιος, Epiphánios) and Johanna (Ἰωάννα, Iōánna), but, according to others, they were named Theophanes (Θεοφάνης, Theophánēs) and Nonna (Νόννα, Nónna). In some accounts, Nicholas's uncle was the bishop of the city of Myra, also in Lycia. Recognizing his nephew's calling, Nicholas's uncle ordained him as a priest.
Generosity and travels
After his parents died from an epidemic, Nicholas is said to have distributed their wealth to the poor. In his most famous exploit, which is first attested in Michael the Archimandrite's Life of Saint Nicholas, Nicholas heard of a devout man who had once been wealthy but had lost all of his money due to the "plotting and envy of Satan." The man could not afford proper dowries for his three daughters. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, be forced to become prostitutes. Hearing of the girls' plight, Nicholas decided to help them, but, being too modest to help the family in public (or to save them the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to the house under the cover of night and threw a purse filled with gold coins through the window opening into the house. The father immediately arranged a marriage for his first daughter, and after her wedding, Nicholas threw a second bag of gold through the same window late at night.
According to Michael the Archimandrite's account, after the second daughter was married, the father stayed awake for at least two "nights" and caught Saint Nicholas in the same act of charity toward the third daughter. The father fell on his knees, thanking him, and Nicholas ordered him not to tell anyone about the gifts. The scene of Nicholas's secret gift-giving is one of the most popular scenes in Christian devotional art, appearing in icons and frescoes from across Europe. Although depictions vary depending on time and place, Nicholas is often shown wearing a cowl while the daughters are typically shown in bed, dressed in their nightclothes. Many renderings contain a cypress tree or a cross-shaped cupola.
The historicity of this incident is disputed. Adam C. English argues for a historical kernel to the legend, noting the story's early attestation as well as the fact that no similar stories were told about any other Christian saints. Jona Lendering, who also argues for the story's authenticity, notes that a similar story is told in Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana, in which Apollonius gives money to an impoverished father but posits that Michael the Archimandrite's account is markedly different. Philostratus does not mention the fate of the daughters and, in his story, Apollonius's generosity is purely motivated out of sympathy for the father; in Michael the Archimandrite's account, however, Saint Nicholas is instead expressly stated to be motivated by a desire to save the daughters from being sold into prostitution. He argues that this desire to help women is most characteristic of fourth-century Christianity, due to the prominent role women played in the early Christian movement, rather than Greco-Roman paganism or the Christianity of Michael the Archimandrite's time in the ninth century, by which point the position of women had drastically declined.
Nicholas is also said to have visited the Holy Land. The ship he was on was nearly destroyed by a terrible storm but he rebuked the waves, causing the storm to subside. Thus, Nicholas became venerated as the patron saint of sailors and travelers.
While in Palestine, Nicholas is said to have lived in a crypt near Bethlehem, where the Nativity of Jesus is believed to have taken place. Over the crypt where Nicholas is believed to have lived now stands the "Church of Saint Nicholas" in Beit Jala, a Christian town of which Nicholas is the Patron saint.
Bishop of Myra
After visiting the Holy Land, Nicholas returned to Myra. The bishop of Myra, who had succeeded Nicholas's uncle, had recently died and the priests in the city had decided that the first priest to enter the church that morning would be made bishop. Nicholas went to the church to pray and was therefore proclaimed the new bishop. He is said to have been imprisoned and tortured during the Great Persecution under the Emperor Diocletian (ruled 284–305), but was released under the orders of the Emperor Constantine the Great (ruled 306–337). This story sounds plausible, but is not attested in the earliest sources and is therefore unlikely to be historical.
One of the earliest attested stories of Saint Nicholas is one in which he saves three innocent men from execution. According to Michael the Archimandrite, three innocent men were condemned to death by the governor Eustathius. As they were about to be executed, Nicholas appeared, pushed the executioner's sword to the ground, released them from their chains, and angrily chastised a juror who had accepted a bribe. According to Jona Lendering, this story directly parallels an earlier story in Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana, in which Apollonius prevents the execution of a man falsely condemned of banditry. Michael the Archimandrite also tells another story in which the consul Ablabius accepted a bribe to put three famous generals to death, in spite of their actual innocence. Saint Nicholas appeared to Constantine and Ablabius in dreams, informing Constantine of the truth and frightening Ablabius into releasing the generals, for fear of Hell.
Later versions of the story are more elaborate, interweaving the two stories together. According to one version, Emperor Constantine sent three of his most trusted generals, named Ursos, Nepotianos, and Herpylion, to put down a rebellion in Phrygia. However, a storm forced them to take refuge in Myra. Unbeknownst to the generals, who were in the harbor, their soldiers further inland were fighting with local merchants and engaging in looting and destruction. Nicholas confronted the generals for allowing their soldiers to misbehave and the generals brought an end to the looting. Immediately after the soldiers had returned to their ships, Nicholas heard word of the three innocent men about to be executed and the three generals aided him in stopping the execution. Eustathius attempted to flee on his horse but Nicholas stopped his horse and chastised him for his corruption. Eustathius, under the threat of being reported directly to the Emperor, repented of his corrupt ways. Afterward, the generals succeeded in ending the rebellion and were promoted by Constantine to even higher status. The generals' enemies, however, slandered them to the consul Ablabius, telling him that they had not really put down the revolt, but instead encouraged their own soldiers to join it. The generals' enemies also bribed Ablabius and he had the three generals imprisoned. Nicholas then made his dream appearances and the three generals were set free.
Council of Nicaea
In 325, Nicholas is said to have attended the First Council of Nicaea, where he is said to have been a staunch opponent of Arianism and a devoted supporter of Trinitarianism, and one of the bishops who signed the Nicene Creed. Nicholas's attendance at the Council of Nicaea is attested early by Theodore the Lector's list of attendees, which records him as the 151st attendee. However, he is conspicuously never mentioned by Athanasius of Alexandria, the foremost defender of Trinitarianism at the council, who knew all the notable bishops of the period, nor is he mentioned by the historian Eusebius, who was also present at the council. Adam C. English notes that lists of the attendees at Nicaea vary considerably, with shorter lists only including roughly 200 names, but longer lists including around 300. Saint Nicholas's name only appears on the longer lists, not the shorter ones. Nicholas's name appears on a total of three early lists, one of which, Theodore the Lector, is generally considered to be the most accurate. According to Jona Lendering, there are two main possibilities:
Nicholas did not attend the Council of Nicaea, but someone at an early date was baffled that his name was not listed and so added him to the list. Many scholars tend to favor this explanation.
Nicholas did attend the Council of Nicaea, but, at an early date, someone decided to remove his name from the list, apparently deciding that it was better if no one remembered he had been there.
A later legend, first attested in the fourteenth century, over 1,000 years after Nicholas's death, holds that, during the Council of Nicaea, Nicholas lost his temper and slapped "a certain Arian" across the face. On account of this, Constantine revoked Nicholas's miter and pallium. Steven D. Greydanus concludes that, because of the story's late attestation, it "has no historical value." Jona Lendering, however, defends the veracity and historicity of the incident, arguing that, as it was embarrassing and reflects poorly on Nicholas's reputation, it is inexplicable why later hagiographers would have invented it. Later versions of the legend embellish it, making the heretic Arius himself and having Nicholas punch him rather than merely slapping him with his open hand. In these versions of the story, Nicholas is also imprisoned, but Christ and the Virgin Mary appear to him in his cell. He tells them he is imprisoned "for loving you" and they free him from his chains and restore his vestments. The scene of Nicholas slapping Arius is celebrated in Eastern Orthodox icons and episodes of Saint Nicholas at Nicaea are shown in a series of paintings from the 1660s in the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari.
Other reputed miracles
One story tells how during a terrible famine, a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he killed them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, saw through the butcher's lies and resurrected the pickled children by making the sign of the cross. Jona Lendering opines that the story is "without any historical value". Adam C. English notes that the story of the resurrection of the pickled children is a late medieval addition to the legendary biography of Saint Nicholas and that it is not found in any of his earliest Lives. Although this story seems bizarre and horrifying to modern audiences, it was tremendously popular throughout the Late Middle Ages and the early modern period, and widely beloved by ordinary folk. It is depicted in stained glass windows, wood panel paintings, tapestries, and frescoes. Eventually, the scene became so widely reproduced that, rather than showing the whole scene, artists began to merely depict Saint Nicholas with three naked children and a wooden barrel at his feet.
According to English, eventually, people who had forgotten or never learned the story began misinterpreting representations of it. That Saint Nicholas was shown with children led people to conclude he was the patron saint of children; meanwhile, the fact that he was shown with a barrel led people to conclude that he was the patron saint of brewers.
According to another story, during a great famine that Myra experienced in 311–312, a ship was in the port at anchor, loaded with wheat for the emperor in Constantinople. Nicholas invited the sailors to unload a part of the wheat to help in the time of need. The sailors at first disliked the request, because the wheat had to be weighed accurately and delivered to the emperor. Only when Nicholas promised them that they would not suffer any loss for their consideration did the sailors agree. When they arrived later in the capital, they made a surprising find: the weight of the load had not changed, although the wheat removed in Myra was enough for two full years and could even be used for sowing.
There shall come a time when people will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears they will, in accordance with their own desires, accumulate teachers for themselves, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and stray after fictions.
(2 Timothy 4: 3-4)
And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error. (2 Timothy 3: 12-13)
It is important that you know this: that in the last days, scoffers will come with mockery, men living in accordance with their own lusts. (2 Peter 3: 3)
The spirit expressly says that in the last times some will depart the faith, giving assent to seducing spirits and to doctrines of demons through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose consciences are seared, who forbid [devalue] marriage and command abstinence from foods which God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving. (1 Timothy 4: 1-4)
For they have not loved the truth that they might be saved. Therefore, God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying: that all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity. (2 Thes 2: 7-12)
Now these of Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints, to execute judgement on all, and to prove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby they have done the ungodly, and all the hard things that the ungodly have spoken against God. These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain’s sake. But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words that have been spoken before the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who told you, that in the last times there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodliness. These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the spirit. (Jude 14-19)
In the last days there shall come terrible times. For men shall be lovers of self, fond of money, pretentious, arrogant, railers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, impious, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers; profligates, untamed, hostile to good, traitors, headstrong, befogged with conceit; lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God, holding a semblance of religion after having denied its power. (2 Timothy 5: 1-3)
Sinners will alter and pervert the words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and practice great deceits, and write books concerning their words (Enoch 104: 10)
The weaker the world grows through age, so much the more shall the evils increase upon the dwellers of the Earth. Truth shall withdraw further and falsehood be near at hand. (4 Ezra 4: 16-17)
EUbabel. The shocking occult symbolism of the European Union.
peuplesobservateursblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/togo-all...
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
(Psalm 15)
"Your abominations are but a faint startle from your indifference! At least take advantage of this hornet body to discharge your debt, if it is some consistency in you own doctrine.Thus he will expiate this absurd moment out of love for Justice, so long as it belongs to his power to determine and imagine what notion of justice he could still possess.Already his breath passed through the narrow corset of the insect, he felt so at ease again that he stood on his feet, and, spreading his wings from the top of the scale plate, straight away he flew towards the rosatres nipples of the immense nudity: he barely touched it when a spark blew out: the pine wing set him on fire.The fire grew stronger, it was struggling and the fire redoubled in intensity, the more it moved, the bigger it grew and the more the flame crackled; then discerning through the smoke the radiance of its sublime slopes and the vast arc of the smile of its sweet lips, it still managed to hum."
Baphomet by Pierre kKossowsky
." Whithout a form that is stabilized but able to evolve until iy fixes itself in all the possible forms of existence" Eisenstein's definition of a protoplasm. Evoking a primitif form this piece materlializes the idea of plasmaticity brought uo by the Russian himmaker and present in other terms, in Klossowski's work. in equelibrium and weightlessness, hung like a trophy in the center of the room, this creature freezes the s^pectacle of a possible unterruped latent metamorphosis. " I am not a creator who subjugates what he creates to a single me and this me to a single body" the Baphomet proclaims in the eponymous novel by Pierre Klossowski.
Bertrand Lamarche does not consider himself a creator: he does not create archetypes, forms from nothing. he works from precedents, reacts to already existing subjects and figures. the Baphomet is inserted in this genealogy. a pagan idol, the sovereign of alchemists, the Baphomet would seem to be the symbol of instability and metamoorphosis. responding to the theater of La Maréchalrie, Bertrand Lamarche presents new works that are animated in the etymological meaning of the world (from the Latin animare, to give life) compared with earlier works. through the manifestation of primitive forms, these works summon up a bestiary that can echo mythology, the fantasy genre and science-fiction novejs; from the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea to Walt Disney's anthropomorphic charayers, frankenstein's creature and the works of Poe, lovecraft or Orwell.
The systems create images of the successive states of the process of the living as so many moments seized of formal, corporeal and identity mutations, taking place before us. asserting that " nothing ever remains equal to itself but that every constantly changes" Pierre Klossowsky's Baphomet opens to multtiplicity and unlocks identities. Echoing the author's reflection, Bertrand Lamarche turns elasticity of matter, the rejection of fixity, the freedom of becoming into concrete form.
To understand the association of this goat-headed devil figure with Alchemy s, one must follow a long and tortured path which begins in the 12th Century. In the year 1119, a small military band in Jerusalem formed a medieval religious and military order to protect pilgrims visiting Palestine after the First Crusade. They were known as the Knights Templar. Headed by a grand master, they lived austere lives patterned on the Cistercian monks and fought bravely to defend the Church. As the several Crusades progressed, however, they began to amass both wealth and stature. Levi's Baphomet - Note signature at bottom!Because the Knights Templars regularly transmitted money and supplies from Europe to Palestine, they gradually developed an efficient banking system unlike any the world had seen before. Their military might and financial acumen caused them to become both trusted and feared. Their defense of the Holy Lands and their monastic vows gave them a presumed respectability and those who wished to remain in Europe were happy to support their endeavors. The Knights amassed great wealth through gifts from their grateful benefactors. By the late 1200s however, the Knights Templars had suffered several military defeats which left them in a vulnerable position while their wealth became the object of jealousy for many including the Papacy. World events were also taking place which caused this situation to become more complicated. The French King, Philip IV, was engaged in a tumultuous struggle with Pope Boniface VIII which grew out of the King's attempt to levy taxes against the clergy. Boniface forbade the clergy to pay taxes to a secular power and in 1302 issued the bull Unam Sanctam, a declaration of papal supremacy. Philip's partisans imprisoned Boniface who later escaped but died soon afterwards. In 1305, Philip obtained the election of one of his own adherents as pope, Clement V and compelled him to reside in France where he would be in control of his every move. (This was the beginning of the so-called 'Babylonian Captivity of the papacy - 1309-1377 - during which the popes lived at Avignon and were subjected to French rule.)
With the papacy now firmly in his control, Philip turned his sight to the somewhat discredited (due to their military losses) Knights Templars and their treasure. In 1307, Philip ordered a sweeping raid during which all known Knights were rounded up and thrown into dungeons, including their Grand Master Jacques de Molay, charging them with sacrilege and Satanism. In 1312, the Pope, now a puppet of the King, issued the order suppressing the military and religious order and their wealth was confiscated by Philip. (The English assets of the Templars was similarly confiscated by King Edward II of England.).
Baphomet - Tarot Card: The Templars ceased to exist from that time forward. Many of their members, including Jacques de Molay, were tortured mercilessly during their internment and caused to 'confess' to a myriad of crimes, including a list of some 127 charges in nine sub categories. These included such things as the holding their meetings in secret and at night. "The Alchemist must steal the Devil's fire. When we work with the Arcanum A. Z. F., we steal fire from the Devil and thus convert ourselves into Gods. On the forehead of the goat of Mendès shines the esoteric Pentagram. The Caduceus of Mercury replaces the sexual organs. In short, we can say that this Caduceus of Mercury represents the sexual organs. Every alchemist must work with Transmutation; when we steal his fire from the Devil, the five-pointed Star shines.. We must develop the Kundalini and dissolve the "I", it is only in this way that we will obtain Liberation.The Initiates of the fourth way (the Wise Way of Man) call "working with the Devil" the process of dissolving the Self. The tenebrous ones usually attack us with violence. Anyone who works in the dissolution of the self, while not being a demon, is usually, nevertheless, surrounded by demons. When uninitiated clairvoyants see a man in this way, they misjudge him, slander him and call him a demon. The Initiates of the Cunning Way of Man reveal themselves to be enigmatic. The disciples of the path are confused when they notice black candles on the altars of these Initiates, and then, naturally, they judge them wrongly.The ego exercises control over the five lower centres of the human machine; that is, over the centres of Thought, Feeling, Movement, Instinct and Sex. The two higher centres of the human being, the Higher Mind and the Higher Emotional Centre, cannot be controlled by the Self. If we want to dissolve the ego, we must study it in the five lower centres; we need understanding. It is essential to understand the actions and reactions of each of the five lower centres of the human machine. The ego works with the five lower centers, and by fully understanding the activity of each of these lower centers we are on the way to dissolve the ego. In front of the same theatrical performance, two people react in a different way. What is pleasing to one person can be unpleasant for the other. The difference is very often that one person can judge and see with the mind while the other person can be touched in his feelings.We must learn to differentiate between the Mind and the Sentiment. The mind is one thing, and the feeling is another. In the mind there is a whole set of actions and reactions that must be carefully understood. In the feeling are affects that must be crucified, emotions that must be studied and, in general, a whole mechanism of actions and reactions that are easily confused with the activities of the Mind.In every human being there are instinctive subhuman forces that paralyze the true spirit of love and charity. These demonic forces must first be understood, then subdued and eliminated. They are animal forces, criminal instinctive forces: lust, cowardice, fear, etc. We need to understand and subdue these bestial forces before we can dissolve them.Sex is the fourth power of the human being. Sex can liberate or enslave man. No one can be complete, no one can be fully realized without sexual strength. Sex is the power of the Soul. The complete human being can only be achieved with the absolute fusion of the male and female poles of the soul. Sexual strength develops, evolves and progresses according to seven levels (the seven levels of the Soul). In this physical world, sex is a blind force of mutual attraction; in the Astral, sexual attraction is based on the affinity of types according to their polarity and Essence; in the Mind, sexual attraction is carried out according to the laws of polarity and mental affinity. In the Causal, sexual attraction is based on conscious will; it is in the world of natural causes that the perfect unification of the soul is consciously realized. No one can actually attain the glorious fullness of marital status if he has not reached the fourth degree of human integration.At the supreme moment of conception, the human Essences are totally open to all kinds of influences. The purity of the parents and the strength of will not to overthrow the Cup of Hermes are the only things that can protect us against the terrible danger that the sperm and the egg of the subhuman substances of animal souls that would like to reincarnate themselves are infiltrated into the sperm and the egg.Sexuality is the door to Eden. The keeper in front of the door is the Assyrian Sphinx, the Egyptian Sphinx, the Taurus of Moses holding the Sword between his paws. It is the psychological ego, the Baphomet who, with the help of his sword, pushes away from the threshold all those who are not ready. The enemy is inside us. We have to work with the demon to dissolve it. We have to steal the devil's fire.Author Stephen Dafoe in his excellent and detailed work on this subject titled "Unholy Worship" says, "Regardless of its lack of historical appearances, so central to the Templar legend has the Baphomet become, it has grown a Mythos of its own. The Baphomet has been utilized on everything from Tarot cards to video games. It has been accepted as synonymous with the Devil and has become, as we will see in a later chapter, the key iconography of Satanism.
Over 500 years later, Alphonse Louis Constant was studying to be a Roman Catholic Priest. He decided, however, to give up Catholicism and become an occultist and adopted the Jewish pseudonym of Eliphas L�vi. His life work involved writing huge volumes about Magick including extensive commentaries on the alleged deity of the Knights Templar, the Baphomet. Of all his works, the best known is his illustration which appears at the top of this page and was used as a frontispiece to "The Doctrine of High Magic" published in 1855. Levi also believed that if one rearranged the letters in Baphomet by reversing them, one would get an abbreviated Latin phrase "Tem Oph Ab" which he thought to be some type of reference to King Solomon's Temple. You can also see, parenthetically, that the "pentagram" is NOT the symbol L�vi used in his drawing shown above on the left: rather, it is a quite common star!
At the time, it was a crime punishable by death to recant a 'confession' - even if such 'confession' was extracted through heinous torture. Consider what you'd admit to if someone was pulling out your toenails with pliers or dropping hot coals on your body while chuckling.... Those who've experienced severe pain can barely appreciate the conditions under which the Templars met their fate.
Among the charges against the Templars were that they worshiped some sort of 'bearded head'. What was it? There are various theories including the religious relic head of John the Baptist, the Shroud of Turin, an image of Mohammed (the father of the Islamic religion) and other even more bizarre things. But how would such a respected religious order come to worship a head idol or engage in such evil? Likely, they didn't! King Philip lusted after the Templar wealth and could only take it from them if they were judged heretics. The charges against the Templars were nothing new. In fact, such charges were common when 'proving' heresy. Similar charges continued even through the 1600s and were seen even in the United States during the Salem Witchcraft Trials.
Jack Chick "The Curse of The Baphomet" (From an anti-Masonic publication titled "Curse of The Baphomet" � Jack Chick publications whose little comic books rail against Freemasonry, Catholicism, and all sorts of other "evils". )
So how did this supposed idol of the ancient Templars become associated with Freemasonry? Through a hoax perpetrated by Leo Taxil on Albert Pike in the late 1800's. Taxil's hoax (which we describe in detail here on our site) was to reveal a highly secret Masonic order called the Palladium (which existed only in Taxil's highly fertile imagination). The cover of Taxil's book depicts a group of Masons dancing around the demonic Baphomet as drawn by none other than the ex-priest, Eliphas L�vi.
And from there, the rest is history. The hoax, despite the recanting by its creator, continues and is accepted as 'gospel' by new generations of religious intolerants. Freemasonry is defamed by a ludicrous charge and those thinking they're religious and right, perpetuate a lie. And the drawing of a goat's head now grotesquely changed becomes the rallying point of those who, in ignorance and/or hatred, defame Alchemy.It is really true, certain and very true that the mystery of Baphomet is sexual alchemy. From a rigorous understanding and sexual transmutation, we transform the lead of personality into the Gold of the Spirit. The "I" is then annihilated. The rose develops its fragrance with the mud of the earth. The scent of the rose is transmuted mud.
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/movie-break-through-the-s...
Introduction
Pastors and elders of the world of religion are all people who serve God in churches. They frequently read the Bible and give sermons to believers, pray for them and show them compassion, but why do we say they are hypocritical Pharisees? Especially with regard to their approach to the return of the Lord, not only do they not seek or examine anything, but on the contrary they wildly defy and condemn the work of Almighty God. Why exactly is this?
Storyline:
2,000 years ago, when the Lord Jesus did the work of redemption, He suffered wild slander and condemnation by the Jewish religious community. The Jewish leaders joined forces with the Roman government and nailed Him to the cross. In the last days, Almighty God—the Lord Jesus returned in the flesh—has arrived in China to do the work of judgment. Again, He faces the frenzied condemnation, suppression, and arrest this time by the Chinese Communist government and the religious world. The widespread rumors and misconceptions that judge and defame The Church of Almighty God are like an invisible snare, enshrouding and controlling innumerable believers. The tragedy of history repeats itself …
The heroine of this movie is one of those countless believers. When she first heard Almighty God's gospel of the last days, she was confused by the rumors of the CCP government and the religious leaders. She was trapped, lost in her confusion … After several intense debates, Almighty God's words led her to realize the truth, and she was finally able to see through the actual facts behind the rumors. She broke through the snare and beheld the appearance of the true God …
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Then why don't you post a picture of a RL Kimono instead of asking for an exact redo of the same one Aryanna already sells?
How is that not copying existing content? Apart from the slander you spread about Okiya's what does the location of her shop have to do with anything? Is it because she stood up for us?
Before pointing fingers, your destinguished Okiya is in the middle of a quote: Prison,rp,realistic,mesh,criminal,urban,city,police,entertainment,okiya,geishas,store,fullperm,inmate,cop,correctional,marvel,asylum,mental,medical,doctor,lawyer,police,Geishas." In a general Sim, it is not allowed to have displays of violence, which no doubt happen in a prison. Surely that is the perfect zen environment to enjoy a cup of tea. Isn't that a bit hypocritical?
French postcard. Maurice Tesson. S.129/4. Berta Nelson. Logo on the back is a four-leaf clover with the letters MT&C, followed by the word "deposé".
Berta Nelson (?-?), originally Berta Katzenelson, was a Russian opera singer, who from 1913 onward had career as actress in Italian silent cinema at Itala Film and even had her own company Nelson Film.
In an Italian article of 1916, Nelson was told to have won beauty contests at a young age and became an acclaimed soprano, praised not only for her voice but also for her presence. She was a disciple of the famous Russian opera singer Feodor Chaliapin. Nelson interpreted Manon and Werther by Massenet, and several Puccini operas, gaining praise in Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, etc. In December 1911/ January 1912 for instance, Nelson performed with the local Italian Opera company at the Arts & Sciences building in The Hague. Performed was e.g. Verdi's Trovatore and Puccini's La Bohème and Tosca.
As occurred with many Russian stage stars, life imitated theater, so due to his passion for her, a young man from a high-placed family committed an unheard romantic deed. Dutch newspapers wrote in 1913 about a law case in which Nelson was defended against slander by Il Giornale d'Italia. The story was that of a Neapolitan impresario, madly in love with Nelson, but also a cashier, who had robbed the cash to pay for his extravagant spending to please his beloved, la Nelson. The journalist was condemned to 10 months of prison and the editor to a huge fine, but a court of appeal overruled this and settled the matter with (lower) fines.
In 1912 Nelson started at the Turinese company Itala Film, first in the aviation drama Come una sorella (Vincenzo Denizot, 1912), in which a scorned beloved (Lydia Quaranta), as a nurse, takes care of her ex, a crashed pilot (Giovanni Casaleggio), while the man's posh mistress (Nelson) dumps him. In Vittoria o morte! (Denizot, 1913), a sensational, daring spy story, Nelson had the lead. She pursues a spy who has stolen important papers from her father. Taking an airplane, she manages to get aboard the ocean liner the spy is on, but a fire breaks out on the ship and the spy binds her and flees. With the help of a wealthy American, she manages to steal back the papers and new pursuits by car and plane follow. Both films were found within the Desmet Collection of the EYE Filmmuseum and can be seen on the Desmet playlist on Youtube and on the Museo Nazionale del Cinema playlist on Vimeo.
Other films at Itala were L'ombra del male (Gino Zaccaria, 1913), Per un bacio a Ninì (1913), and Il bacio della zingara (1913). At Itala, Nelson's co-actors were Italia Almirante Manzini, Amerigo Manzini, Giovanni Casaleggio and Bonaventura Ibanez. After an intermission of two years, Nelson returned to the screen in 1916 at the Roman Cines company with two films with the ape Jack: L'impronta della piccola mano (Enrique Santos, 1916). about an ape trained to steal, and Jack cuor di leone (Santos, 1917). In 1917 Nelson acted as Elena opposite Vittoria Lepanto as Berta in the Dario Niccodemi adaptation L'Ombra by Mario Caserini, much praised by the Italian press at the time, and opposite Augusto Poggioli in L'uomo in frak (Nino Oxilia, 1917). Also, Nelson had a small part in Malombra (Carmine Gallone, 1917), starring Lyda Borelli. In 1919 Nelson moved to the Film d'Arte Italiana, where she starred in Fiamma simbolica by Eugenio Perego (released in 1920), a film about revenge symbolized by a burning flame. Ugo Gracci had the male lead. This film was also found and restored by the EYE Filmmuseum.
After La casa della felicità (Ugo Gracci, 1919) Gracci's first film as director, Fascino d'oro (Eugenio De Liguoro, 1919), and Chi l'ha ucciso? (Mario Gambardella or Alberto Sannia, 1919), Nelson founded her own film company Nelson Film. She made four films with Nelson Film: Come io vi amo (Ivo Illuminati, 1921), Sélika (Illuminati, 1921), La dama errante (Aleksandr Uralsky, 1922), a film with many Russian actors, and Ali spezzate (Luigi Maggi, 1923). La dama errante was about a a gravely ill lady who after losing her betrothed refuses to be cured and starts to get visions, but are they all dreams? Ali spezzate, about a pharmacist's daughter who flees an arranged marriage, was already filmed in 1920, and thus must have been the first Nelson Film production, but was only released in 1923. It was Nelson's last film. La dama errante and Ali spezzate were restored by the Cineteca Nazionale in Rome.
Sources: IMDB, DELPHER, Vittorio Martinelli, Il cinema muto italiano, sempreinpenombra.com/2013/10/03/berta-nelson-due-o-tre-co...
A few more images from the Jade Buddhist Temple, in old Shanghai.....
and a few more notes about some of the rituals performed in Buddhism....
( from a source in Google...)
" Bowing
When worshippers enter a room in which there is a Buddha statue, they put their palms together and bow, to show their highest respect for the Buddha and His teachings. The proper term for the bowing is prostration. The individual prostrates three times by facing the Buddha or Bodhisattva and kneeling – with palms turned upward – on a kneeling stool. The open palms represent wisdom and compassion; during the first prostration, the turning out of one hand symbolizes cultivating wisdom internally, while the movement of the other represents the outward offering of compassion.
The second prostration indicates the Buddha or Bodhisattva’s bestowal of wisdom and compassion upon the individual. The third shows the sincerity of the person’s prayers to the Buddha or Bodhisattva. It takes three prostrations to build up concentration and emphasize one’s earnestness.
Chanting
When Buddhists chant, their speech is pure and free of lies, curses, slander, and so on. Chanting is the uttering of the Buddha’s teachings, and thus it trains our thoughts, through repetition, to be visions of benevolence, perseverance, self-discipline, and charity.
Gongs are used in Buddhist ceremonies as chanting instruments. They are used in the temples for three purposes: to announce the time for a meeting, to mark different phases of services or tempos of chanting, and to aid the congregation during their meditation. We listen as it resonates to soundlessness, which signals the beginning of the meditation session. "
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/break-through-the-snare-m...
Introduction
Hear the Voice of God | The Lord Jesus Christ Is in China | Gospel Movie "Break Through the Snare"
2,000 years ago, when theLord Jesus did the work of redemption, He suffered wild slander and condemnation by the Jewish religious community. The Jewish leaders joined forces with the Roman government and nailed Him to the cross. In the last days, Almighty God—the Lord Jesus returned in the flesh—has arrived in China to do the work of judgment. Again, He faces the frenzied condemnation, suppression, and arrest this time by the Chinese Communist government and the religious world. The widespread rumors and misconceptions that judge and defameThe Church of Almighty God are like an invisible snare, enshrouding and controlling innumerable believers. The tragedy of history repeats itself …
The heroine of this movie is one of those countless believers. When she first heard Almighty God's gospel of the last days, she was confused by the rumors of the CCP government and the religious leaders. She was trapped, lost in her confusion … After several intense debates, Almighty God's words led her to realize the truth, and she was finally able to see through the actual facts behind the rumors. She broke through the snare and beheld the appearance of the true God …
Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
Special statement: This video production was produced as a not-for-profit piece by the Church of Almighty God. The actors that appear in this production are performing on a not-for-profit basis, and have not been paid in any way. This video may not be distributed for profit to any third party, and we hope that everyone will share it and distribute it openly. When you distribute it, please note the source. Without the consent of the Church of Almighty God, no organization, social group, or individual may tamper with or misrepresent the contents of this video.
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location : Kyoto Kitano Tenmangu .Kyoto city ,Japan
京都北野天満宮 「雲龍梅」
雲龍（Un-ryu ) = Flying Dragon
梅（Ume ,Bai ) = plum , Japanese apricot
This shrine was dedicated to noted scholar and poet Sugawara-no-Michizane (posthumously named Tenjin) in 947. It was revered by the court and the shogunate and spawned many branch shrines along with temple schools throughout the country.
Kitano-tenmangu Shrine is one of the great shrines of Kyoto. It features elaborate architecture, plum trees which scent the air in spring, and a collection of treasures of special interest to those familiar with Japanese history.
Kitano-tenmangu Shrine enshrines the spirit of Sugawara-no-Michizane who was a scholar and adviser to the Emperor Uda in the Heian Period. He was a loyal civil servant who became the victim of slander and was subsequently exiled to the island of Kyushu where he died. Shortly after his death a series of severe thunderstorms and earthquakes shook the capital. To add to this, a number of the people who slandered him met with unexpected disaster. These events were interpreted to mean that his powerful spirit was unhappy, and the Imperial Court moved to placate it by granting him the posthumous name of Karai Tenjin (God of Fire and Thunder) and building this shrine. Tenjin is now regarded as the deity of scholastic studies and is extremely popular with students preparing for high school or university entrance examinations.
The many plum trees on the grounds were planted because of Michizane's known fondness for them during his lifetime. A plum blossom festival is held at the shrine every year in February. Kitano-tenmangu Shrine was the location of the famous mass tea ceremony conducted by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and among the shrine's treasures, are artifacts connected to that particular event as well as others connected to the life of Michizane.
- Kyoto City Travel Official Guide
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Michizane was very fond of ume and composed the waka (和歌 a traditional Japanese poem of thirty-one syllables) to the ume tree in his garden, 'Kochi fukaba Nioi okoseyo ume no hana aruji nasitote haruna wasureso (recently haruwo wasuruna)東風〔こち〕吹かばにほひおこせよ梅花主なしとて春な忘れそ' (Whenever the east wind blows, ..My dear plum blossoms ... Please remember spring, ...do not forget the spring...!... Even if your master( = Michizane ) won't be here..and he will be gone...), following his demotion and exile to Dazaifu.
Thank you for viewing my post ...*** :)
Don't trust those on social media who are always saying that they are the keepers of the truth when all they do is slander people with un proven facts!
German postcard. Ross Verlag, Berlin, No. 41/3. Henny-Porten-Froehlich Produktion. Henny Porten in the German silent drama Tragödie (Carl Froelich, 1925). Left, Robert Garrison, who plays a publisher, Pickart.
Plot: Countess Maria Porten), a world famous stage performer, is blackmailed by a former lover, a frivolous stage poet (Robert Scholz). The ex-lover threatens to publish former love letters. When she visits the man to claim the letters, a wild bacchanal is going on at the house, which compromises the countess. Her husband, Count Tamar (Walter Janssen) divorces her and dumps their child (Annemarie Winkler), accorded to him, in a convent. Maria's reputation is lost, so she is refused any stage engagement. Physically and mentally broken, she collapses. Just when a friend tells her where her child is located, she dies without seeing her child again.
Tragödie was one of the typical melodramas with Henny Porten, tormented by male evildoers from her shady past, who are keen on spreading slander and wrecking her well-to-do and aristocratic happy family life, while husbands are blunt and unforgiving. And often children are victims of the situation. From 1924 Porten, her husband Wilhelm von Kaufmann, and producer director Carl Froehlich, ran the Henny Porten-Froehlich Produktion with which they 15 many comedies and tearjerkers between 1924 and 1929. Tragödie was scripted by Walter Wassermann and Fred Sauer, while cinematography was by Axel Graatkjaer and sets by Franz Schroedter. The film had its premiere at the Berlin Primus-Palast cinema on 30 November 1925.
Source: Corinna Müller, 'Filmographie, in Helga Belach, Henny Porten. Der erste deutsche Filmstar 1890-1960 (1986).
Sturdy and blond Henny Porten (1890-1960) was one of Germany's most important and popular film actresses of the silent cinema. She became the quintessence of German womanhood, ladylike yet kindhearted and a not a little petit bourgeois. She was also the producer of many of her own films.
Agrippina
Basanite, AD 49-59
This imposing statue of Agrippina was carved from dark-green stone to imitate the metallic sheen of bronze. Agrippina's power during the reigns of Claudius and Nero alienated many senators and other traditionalists. They slandered prominent women like her with wild tales of sexual promiscuity. Agrippina and Nero were even accused of incest.
Nero justified Agrippina's death in a letter to the senate, claiming that she had planned to assassinate him. Officially, his salvation was celebrated, but Nero's detractors accused him of matricide.
[British Museum]
Nero: the Man Behind the Myth
(May - Oct 2021)
Nero is known as one of Rome's most infamous rulers, notorious for his cruelty, debauchery and madness.
The last male descendant of the emperor Augustus, Nero succeeded to the throne in AD 54 aged just 16 and died a violent death at 30. His turbulent rule saw momentous events including the Great Fire of Rome, Boudicca's rebellion in Britain, the execution of his own mother and first wife, grand projects and extravagant excesses.
Drawing on the latest research, this major exhibition questions the traditional narrative of the ruthless tyrant and eccentric performer, revealing a different Nero, a populist leader at a time of great change in Roman society.
Through some 200 spectacular objects, from the imperial palace in Rome to the streets of Pompeii, follow the young emperor’s rise and fall and make up your own mind about Nero. Was he a young, inexperienced ruler trying his best in a divided society, or the merciless, matricidal megalomaniac history has painted him to be?
Nero was the 5th emperor of Rome and the last of Rome’s first dynasty, the Julio-Claudians, founded by Augustus (the adopted son of Julius Caesar). Nero is known as one of Rome’s most infamous rulers, notorious for his cruelty and debauchery. He ascended to power in AD 54 aged just 16 and died at 30. He ruled at a time of great social and political change, overseeing momentous events such as the Great Fire of Rome and Boudica’s rebellion in Britain. He allegedly killed his mother and two of his wives, only cared about his art and had very little interest in ruling the empire.
Most of what we know about Nero comes from the surviving works of three historians – Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio. All written decades after Nero’s death, their accounts have long shaped our understanding of this emperor’s rule. However, far from being impartial narrators presenting objective accounts of past events, these authors and their sources wrote with a very clear agenda in mind. Nero’s demise brought forward a period of chaos and civil war – one that ended only when a new dynasty seized power, the Flavians. Authors writing under the Flavians all had an interest in legitimising the new ruling family by portraying the last of the Julio-Claudians in the worst possible light, turning history into propaganda. These accounts became the ‘historical’ sources used by later historians, therefore perpetuating a fabricated image of Nero, which has survived all the way to the present.
Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus on 15 December AD 37.
He was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger. Both Gnaeus and Agrippina were the grandchildren of Augustus, making Nero Augustus’ great, great grandson with a strong claim to power.
Nero was only two years old when his mother was exiled and three when his father died. His inheritance was taken from him and he was sent to live with his aunt. However, Nero’s fate changed again when Claudius became emperor, restoring the boy’s property and recalling his mother Agrippina from exile.
In AD 49 the emperor Claudius married Agrippina, and adopted Nero the following year. It is at this point that Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus changed his name to Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. In Roman times it was normal to change your name when adopted, abandoning your family name in favour of your adoptive father’s. Nero was a common name among members of the Claudian family, especially in Claudius’ branch.
Nero and Agrippina offered Claudius a politically useful link back to Augustus, strengthening his position.
Claudius appeared to favour Nero over his natural son, Britannicus, marking Nero as the designated heir.
When Claudius died in AD 54, Nero became emperor just two months before turning 17.
As he was supported by both the army and the senate, his rise to power was smooth. His mother Agrippina exerted a significant influence, especially at the beginning of his rule.
The Roman historians Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio all claim that Nero, fed up with Agrippina’s interference, decided to kill her.
Given the lack of eyewitnesses, there is no way of knowing if or how this happened. However, this did not stop historians from fabricating dramatic stories of Agrippina’s murder, asserting that Nero tried (and failed) to kill her with a boat engineered to sink, before sending his men to do the job.
Agrippina allegedly told them to stab her in the womb that bore Nero, her last words clearly borrowed from stage plays.
It is entirely possible, as claimed by Nero himself, that Agrippina chose (or was more likely forced) to take her own life after her plot against her son was discovered.
Early in his rule, Nero had to contend with a rebellion in the newly conquered province of Britain.
In AD 60–61, Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe led a revolt against the Romans, attacking and laying waste to important Roman settlements. The possible causes of the rebellion were numerous – the greed of the Romans exploiting the newly conquered territories, the recalling of loans made to local leaders, ongoing conflict in Wales and, above all, violence against the family of Prasutagus, Boudica’s husband and king of the Iceni.
Boudica and the rebels destroyed Colchester, London and St Albans before being heavily defeated by Roman troops. After the uprising, the governor of Britain Suetonius Paulinus introduced harsher laws against the Britons, until Nero replaced him with the more conciliatory governor Publius Petronius Turpilianus.
The marriage between Nero and Octavia, aged 15 and 13/14 at the time, was arranged by their parents in order to further legitimise Nero’s claim to the throne. Octavia was the daughter of the emperor Claudius from a previous marriage, so when Claudius married Agrippina and adopted her son Nero, Nero and Octavia became brother and sister. In order to arrange their marriage, Octavia had to be adopted into another family.
Their marriage was not a happy one. According to ancient writers, Nero had various affairs until his lover Poppaea Sabina convinced him to divorce his wife. Octavia was first exiled then executed in AD 62 on adultery charges. According to ancient writers, her banishment and death caused great unrest among the public, who sympathised with the dutiful Octavia.
No further motives were offered for Octavia’s death other than Nero’s passion for Poppaea, and we will probably never know what transpired at court. The fact that Octavia couldn’t produce an heir while Poppaea was pregnant with Nero’s daughter likely played an important role in deciding Octavia’s fate.
On 19 July AD 64, a fire started close to the Circus Maximus. The flames soon encompassed the entire city of Rome and the fire raged for nine days. Only four of the 14 districts of the capital were spared, while three were completely destroyed.
Rome had already been razed by flames – and would be again in its long history – but this event was so severe it came to be known as the Great Fire of Rome.
Later historians blamed Nero for the event, claiming that he set the capital ablaze in order to clear land for the construction of a vast new palace. According to Suetonius and Cassius Dio, Nero took in the view of the burning city from the imperial residence while playing the lyre and singing about the fall of Troy. This story, however, is fictional.
Tacitus, the only historian who was actually alive at the time of the Great Fire of Rome (although only 8 years old), wrote that Nero was not even in Rome when the fire started, but returned to the capital and led the relief efforts.
Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio all describe Nero as being blinded by passion for his wife Poppaea, yet they accuse him of killing her, allegedly by kicking her in an outburst of rage while she was pregnant.
Interestingly, pregnant women being kicked to death by enraged husbands is a recurring theme in ancient literature, used to explore the (self) destructive tendencies of autocrats. The Greek writer Herodotus tells the story of how the Persian king Cambyses kicked his pregnant wife in the stomach, causing her death. A similar episode is told of Periander, tyrant of Corinth. Nero is just one of many allegedly ‘mad’ tyrants for which this literary convention was used.
Poppaea probably died from complications connected with her pregnancy and not at Nero’s hands. She was given a lavish funeral and was deified.
Centred on greater Iran, the Parthian empire was a major political and cultural power and a long-standing enemy of Rome. The two powers had long been contending for control over the buffer state of Armenia and open conflict sparked again during Nero’s rule. The Parthian War started in AD 58 and, after initial victories and following set-backs, ended in AD 63 when a diplomatic solution was reached between Nero and the Parthian king Vologases I.
According to this settlement Tiridates, brother of the Parthian king, would rule over Armenia, but only after having travelled all the way to Rome to be crowned by Nero.
The journey lasted 9 months, Tiridates’ retinue included 3,000 Parthian horsemen and many Roman soldiers. The coronation ceremony took place in the summer of AD 66 and the day was celebrated with much pomp: all the people of Rome saw the new king of Armenia kneeling in front of Nero. This was the Golden Day of Nero’s rule
In AD 68, Vindex, the governor of Gaul (France), rebelled against Nero and declared his support for Galba, the governor of Spain. Vindex was defeated in battle by troops loyal to Nero, yet Galba started gaining more military support.
It was at this point that Nero lost the support of Rome’s people due to a grain shortage, caused by a rebellious commander who cut the crucial food supply from Egypt to the capital. Abandoned by the people and declared an enemy of the state by the senate, Nero tried to flee Rome and eventually committed suicide.
Following his death, Nero’s memory was condemned (a practice called damnatio memoriae) and the images of the emperor were destroyed, removed or reworked. However, Nero was still given an expensive funeral and for a long time people decorated his tomb with flowers, some even believing he was still alive.
After Nero’s death, civil war ensued. At the end of the so-called ‘Year of the Four Emperors’ (AD 69), Vespasian became emperor and started a new dynasty: the Flavians.
[Francesca Bologna, curator, for British Museum]
Taken in the British Museum
LEFT:
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi), “Omnia vincit amor” / Amor als Sieger / Amor Triumphant (1601-2), aka as Love Conquers All, Amor Victorious, Victorious Cupid, Love Triumphant, Love Victorious, or Earthly Love)
RIGHT:
Der himmlische Amor besiegt den irdischen Amor / Sacred Love and Profane Love (or The Divine Eros Defeats the Earthly Eros and various other variants) (1602-03) by Giovanni Baglione
Possibly the most famous and most popular painting in the museum is the scandalous Caravaggio painting of Amor:
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi), “Omnia vincit amor” / Amor als Sieger / Amor Triumphant (1601-2), aka as Love Conquers All, Amor Victorious, Victorious Cupid, Love Triumphant, Love Victorious, or Earthly Love)
Following Virgil — “Omnia vincit amor” (Love Conquers All) — Caravaggio painted the young god of love, Amor, as victorious over science, art, power, and fame. Volumes have been written over Caravaggio (and this painting) and although probably not seen as similarly erotic in period, it cannot be ignored that young Amor pushes his genitals forward to the center while the arrows and the left wing tip also clearly point at his crotch. Sex is the clear winner. Matters were not helped by Caravaggio using one of his students (and possibly lover) as the model for a less than convincing cupid face (and painting the same face for biblical figures in other paintings).
The painting originally belonged to Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani (1564-1637) who built up one of the finest art collections in Italy. Omnia vincit amor was the final painting in his gallery — often covered by a curtain, not out of embarrassment but rather to make the big unveil at the end of the tour the more dramatic.
Still, the painting caused a bit of a scandal so Vincenzo’s bother, Cardinal Benedetto Giustiniani (1544-1637) commissioned Der himmlische Amor besiegt den irdischen Amor / Sacred Love and Profane Love (or The Divine Eros Defeats the Earthly Eros and various other variants) (1602-03) from Giovanni Baglione. Here a divine Eros clad in armor triumphs over an earthly Amor — still naked but no genitals on view. This was more in line with official Catholic norms that earthly love should be tempered and restricted to marriage. (Forget for a moment that amor / eros / cupid are not actually biblical figures.) (In a second version painted by Baglione, the satyr was changed to a devil with facial features resembling Caravaggio — now in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome.)
Caravaggio and Baglione remained rivals, threatened and sued for libel, and competed for clients. Caravaggio had the misfortune of dying first and that Baglione wrote the first Caravaggio biography. He couldn’t really criticize the art, as the quality was plain for all to see, but slandered Caravaggio’s character and questionable morals. Four centuries later, Caravaggio has the last laugh — these two paintings hang in the Gemäldegalerie separated by only a doorway and many visitors would miss the Baglione completely if it was not for the clear reference to it in the audio guide description of Amor Victorious.
The Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery) in Berlin is one of the largest and best Old Master's art museums in the world. Top highlights include early German artists, Flemish painters, and the Dutch Golden Age (16 Rembrandt paintings). The Italian collection is equally impressive with a fantastic Renaissance display by all major artists and fine works from the Baroque and Rococo eras.
Ring out false pride in place and blood, / The civic slander and the spite; / Ring in the love of truth and right, / Ring in the common love of good.
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, poet (1809-1892)
Pontefract (or Pomfret) Castle is a castle ruin in the town of Pontefract, in West Yorkshire, England. King Richard II is thought to have died there. It was the site of a series of famous sieges during the 17th-century English Civil War.
The castle, on a rock to the east of the town above All Saints' Church, was constructed in approximately 1070 by Ilbert de Lacy on land which had been granted to him by William the Conqueror as a reward for his support during the Norman Conquest. There is, however, evidence of earlier occupation of the site. Initially the castle was a wooden structure which was replaced with stone over time. The Domesday Survey of 1086 recorded "Ilbert's Castle" which probably referred to Pontefract Castle.
Robert de Lacy failed to support King Henry I during his power struggle with his brother, and the King confiscated the castle from the family during the 12th century. Roger de Lacy paid King Richard I 3,000 marks for the Honour of Pontefract, but the King retained possession of the castle. His successor King John gave de Lacy the castle in 1199, the year John ascended the throne. Roger died in 1213 and was succeeded by his eldest son, John. However, the King took possession of Castle Donington and Pontefract Castle. The de Lacys lived in the castle until the early 14th century. It was under the tenure of the de Lacys that the magnificent multilobate donjon was built.
In 1311 the castle passed by marriage to the estates of the House of Lancaster. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (circa 1278–1322) was beheaded outside the castle walls six days after his defeat at the Battle of Boroughbridge, a sentence placed on him by King Edward II himself in the great hall. This resulted in the earl becoming a martyr with his tomb at Pontefract Priory becoming a shrine. It next went to Henry, Duke of Lancaster and subsequently to John of Gaunt, third son of King Edward III. He made the castle his personal residence, spending vast amounts of money improving it.
In the closing years of the 14th century, Richard II banished John of Gaunt’s son Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, from England. Following the death of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, in 1399, Richard II seized much of the property due to Bolingbroke. Richard then shared some of the seized property around among his favourites. The castle at Pontefract was among such properties which was under threat. These events aroused Bolingbroke to return to England to claim his rights to the Duchy of Lancaster and the properties of his father. Shakespeare's play Richard II (Act 2, scene 1, 277) relates Bolingbroke’s homecoming in the words of Northumberland in the speech of the eight tall ships:-
NORTHUMBERLAND
Then thus: I have from Port Le Blanc,
A bay in Brittany, receiv’d intelligence,
That Harry Duke of Herford, Rainold Lord Cobham,
Thomas, son and heir to th’ Earl of Arundel,
That late broke from the Duke of Exeter,
His brother, Archbishop late of Canterbury,
Sir Thomas Erpingham, Sir John Ramston,
Sir John Norbery, Sir Robert Waterton, and Francis Quoint—
All these, well furnished by the Duke of Brittany
With eight tall ships, three thousand men of war,
Are making hither with all due expedience,
And shortly mean to touch our northern shore
When Bolingbroke landed at Ravenspur on the Humber, he made straight way for his castle at Pontefract. King Richard II, being in Ireland at the time, was in no position to oppose Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke soon deposed Richard and took the crown for himself as Henry IV.
Richard II was captured by Henry Bolingbroke's supporters in August 1399 and was initially imprisoned in the Tower of London. Sometime before Christmas that year he was moved to Pontefract Castle (via Knaresborough) where he remained under guard until his death, perhaps on 14 February 1400. William Shakespeare's play Richard III mentions this incident:
Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,
Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
Within the guilty closure of thy walls
Richard the second here was hack'd to death;
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.
Various chroniclers suggest that Richard was starved to death by his captors, and others suggest he starved himself. A contemporary French chronicler suggested that Richard II had been hacked to death, but this is, according to the ODNB, "almost certainly fictitious"
Richard III had two relatives of Elizabeth Woodville beheaded at Pontefract Castle on 25 June 1483 – her son, Sir Richard Grey, and her brother, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers.
n 1536, the castle's guardian, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy handed over the castle to the leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace, a Catholic rebellion from northern England against the rule of King Henry VIII. Lord Darcy was executed for this alleged "surrender", which the king viewed as an act of treason.
In 1541, during a royal tour of the provinces, it was alleged that King Henry's fifth wife, Queen Catherine Howard, committed her first act of adultery with Sir Thomas Culpeper at Pontefract Castle, a crime for which she was apprehended and executed without trial. Mary, Queen of Scots was lodged at the castle on 28 January 1569, travelling between Wetherby and Rotherham.
On his way south to London, King James rode from Grimston Park to view Pontefract Castle on 19 April 1603 and stayed the night at the Bear Inn at Doncaster. The castle was included in English jointure property of his wife, Anne of Denmark.
Royalists controlled Pontefract Castle at the start of the English Civil War. The first of three sieges began in December 1644 and continued until the following March when Marmaduke Langdale, 1st Baron Langdale of Holme arrived with Royalist reinforcements and the Parliamentarian army retreated. During the siege, mining and artillery caused damage and the Piper Tower collapsed as a result. The second siege began on 21 March 1645, shortly after the end of the first siege, and the garrison surrendered in July after hearing the news of Charles I's defeat at the Battle of Naseby. Parliament garrisoned the castle until June 1648 when Royalists sneaked into the castle and took control. Pontefract Castle was an important base for the Royalists, and raiding parties harried Parliamentarians in the area.
Oliver Cromwell led the final siege of Pontefract Castle in November 1648. Charles I was executed in January, and Pontefract's garrison came to an agreement and Colonel Morrice handed over the castle to Major General John Lambert on 24 March 1649. Following requests from the townspeople, the grand jury at York, and Major General Lambert, on 27 March Parliament gave orders that Pontefract Castle should be "totally demolished & levelled to the ground" and materials from the castle would be sold off. Piecemeal dismantling after the main organised activity of slighting may have further contributed to the castle's ruined state.
It is still possible to visit the castle's 11th-century cellars, which were used to store military equipment during the civil war.
Little survives of what "must have been one of the most impressive castles in Yorkshire" other than parts of the curtain wall and excavated and tidied inner walls. It had inner and outer baileys. Parts of a 12th-century wall and the Piper Tower's postern gate and the foundations of a chapel are the oldest remains. The ruins of the Round Tower or keep are on the 11th-century mound. The Great Gate flanked by 14th-century semi-circular towers had inner and outer barbicans. Chambers excavated into the rock in the inner bailey possibly indicate the site of the old hall and the North Bailey gate is marked by the remains of a rectangular tower.
The castle has several unusual features. The donjon has a rare Quatrefoil design. Other examples of this type of Keep are Clifford's Tower, York and at the Château d'Étampes in France. Pontefract also has an torre albarrana, a fortification almost unknown outside the Iberian Peninsula. Known as the Swillington Tower, the detached tower was attached to the north wall by a bridge. Its purpose was to increase the defender's range of flanking fire.
Wakefield Council, who manage the site, commissioned William Anelay Ltd to begin repairs on the castle in September 2015, but work stopped in November 2016 when Anelay went into administration. The Council then engaged Heritage Building & Conservation (North) Ltd, who began work on the site in March 2017. A new visitor centre and cafe were opened in July 2017; but in April 2018 the council announced that they had terminated the contract with HB&C (North) Ltd, as no work had been done since mid-March, and they had not had any reassurances that the work would restart. On Yorkshire Day 2019, the restoration was completed, and the castle was removed from Historic England's "Heritage At Risk" list.
Victoria Bees - Northwestern League - The Victoria Bees played in the Northwestern League, a Class B circuit that included teams from Vancouver, Seattle Spokane, and Portland. Professional Baseball returned in 1911 to Victoria and although the Victoria Islanders, who were later named the Victoria Bees, lost 125 games in 151 outings, they were well supported by local business and fans.
Link to - Victoria Bees 1911 Home Jersey - The Bees' home uniforms were made from this very rare cross-hatch pinstripe fabric - www.ebbets.com/products/victoria-bees-1911-home-jersey
Link to - Victoria Bees 1911 Road Jersey - www.ebbets.com/products/victoria-bees-1911-road-jersey
Link to a SABR photo - 1911 Victoria Bees, Northwestern League - www.nwsabr.org/vicbc00/
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Walter Dashwood
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
Height - 5' 10" (another report has him at over 6 feet)
Weight - 190 lbs
Born: December 1882 or 1883
Died: 6 December 1933
Nicknames: Dasher, Dash, William, George, W.E.
Full Name: Walter Earl Dashwood
Father: James Walter Dashwood (b. New York / d. 12 Nov 1907)
During his baseball career he never went by his first name "Walter" - these are some that were used - Earl, Dasher, Dash, W.E., William, George and Catcher Dashwood.
Link to his minor league stats - www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dashwo...
Link to a photo - Dasher Dashwood, Oakland catcher - www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/attachment.php?s=4584c8cbf...
Walter Dashwood compiled a career batting average of .199 with 3 home runs in his 374-game career with the Petaluma Pets, Oakland Reliance, Victoria Legislators / Spokane Indians, Fresno Tigers, Seattle Siwashes, Fresno Raisin Eaters, Des Moines Champions, Oakland Commuters, Oakland Oaks, Tacoma Tigers, Santa Cruz Sand Crabs, Victoria Bees and Seattle Giants. He began playing during the 1903 season and last took the field during the 1911 campaign.
On the 16th October 1886 the Dashwood family were living at 455 Stevenson in San Francisco, California
In 1896 the Dashwood family were living at 546 Minna in San Francisco, California
On his 1900 US census (San Francisco California) he has his name as Walter E. Dashwood (age 17) born in Utah, December 1882. His father is listed as James Dashwood born in New York (June 1853) - his mother is listed as Belle (Arabella) Dashwood born in Illinois (October 1862) - his sister is listed as Esther Dashwood born in California (August 1891)
(San Francisco Call, 13 November 1907) - DASHWOOD— In this city (San Francisco). November 12, 1907, James W., loving husband of Belle Dashwood, and loving father of Earl and Ethel Dashwood, he was aged 67 years. (this was Walter Dashwood's father - Walter was referred to by his middle name - EARL)
On his 1910 US census (San Jose, California) he has his name as W.E. Dashwood (age 27) born in California about 1883 - his mother and father were both born in Tennessee. His occupation was listed as Professional Ball Player. His wife is listed as Edna Dashwood (27 years old). They were living in San Jose, Santa Clara, California on McLaughlin Street.
On his 1911 Canadian census (Victoria, B.C.) he has his name as Wm. G. Dashwood (27 years old) - he is listed as single. Born in July 1883 in the USA. He arrived in Canada in 1911. His occupation in listed as Professional Baseball.
On the San Francisco, California, City Directory from 1920 he is listed as Walter E. Dashwood / Ball player / living with his mother on r 29 Clara. His mother is listed as Louise A. Dashwood (spouce / wid. James Walter)
On the Oakland, California, City Directory in 1924 - Walter and his mother are living at 2006 Emerson.
San Francisco, California, City Directory in 1928 - Walter (taxi cab driver), his sister Ethel (musician) and mother Belle Dashwood are living at 256 Waller in San Francisco, California.
On his 1930 US census (San Francisco California) he has his name as Walter ?. Dashwood (age 47) born in Utah. He is listed as working as a taxi cab driver. His mother is listed as Louis A. Dashwood born in Illinois (age 67) - his sister is listed as Ethel Dashwood born in California (age 36).
Publication: Nevada State Journal Reno, Nevada - Wednesday, December 6, 1933 - Page 5 - Gas Stove Explosion - SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 5, 1933 - Gas stove explosion wrecked a flat tonight, critically burning Mrs Louise Dashwood, 71, and her 51 year old son, Walter Dashwood.
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(The Spokane Press, August 14, 1905) - Spokane won the last game of the series with Everett at Recreation park yesterday afternoon by a score of 7 to 3. Everett getting these three runs was due to errors by Baer and Dashwood. Dashwood in left field played hare and hounds with the ball. He was the hound and the sphere the hare. The result was that while Dash was chasing the elusive one about the green, runs were being scored for Everett. Dashwood misjudged two flies in the first inning, but he is not supposed to catch anything but stingers and pop fouls, so we will let him off this time.
(The Pacific Commercial Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands), October 27, 1907 - Dasher Dashwood, Oakland Catcher - The above is a good likeness of Dasher Dashwood, the regular catcher of the Oakland Coast League team. Dashwood is considered the greatest thrower in the Coast League. He is a hard man to steal bases on and is always in the game from start to finish. Mique Fisher has signed Dashwood to make the trip to Honolulu with his All-Star combination of players. Dashwood is a big fellow standing over six feet and weighing 190 pounds. Honolulu players would do well to keep an eye on this fellow and learn the game. When Dashwood is behind the bat the All-Hawaii players should not take too big a lead, or they will be nipped.
(The Hawaiian Star, January 28, 1908) - Dashwood prides himself in having tho choicest collection of Hawaiian souvenirs of any of the players who were on that trip. Given at this late day the Dasher finds himself the recipient of presents. Hardly a steamer comes from the Islands that doesn't bring him something. When he is flush with coin he will have a cabinet built for his trophies. S.F. Bulletin.
(The San Francisco Call, February 07, 1908) - The Oakland
baseball club Is certain to have the services of "Truck" Eagan this season, he having come to terms this morning with President Walter. He also has signed Dashwood, the successful catcher of last season. Walter expects to have all contracts back within a week.
(Los Angeles Herald, 21 July 1908) - W. E. Dashwood, who played with the Stockton team recently while Yom Hackett was injured, and who caught for the Fresno team when it was in the Coast league, has brought suit in the superior court of Fresno county against W. W. Ayers and C T. Walker of Coalinga. Dashwood alleges that he had been slandered by these two men, who are managers of the Coalinga ball team, by their statements that he threw a game on the Fourth of July, and now he wants $10,000 damages. Dashwood caught for Coalinga on the Fourth in a game with another amateur aggregation. Coalinga lost, and it is claimed that blame was heaped upon the shoulders of Dashwood, some even going as far as to say that he threw the game. Dashwood has singled out the managers of the Coalinga club as among those who made such statements and is suing them for damages. He declares that because of their false statements he will be held up to the contempt of all baseball managers unless he is vindicated, and may not be able to secure a position again. The Coalinga game no doubt will be played over again In the courts, as Dashwood says he is prepared to show through the statements of the fans, players and the score that he played a good game.
(Santa Cruz Evening News, 24 July 1908) - DASWOOD BRINGS SUIT - RESENTS THE IMPUTATION THAT HE "THREW" A BASEBALL GAME. - W. E. Dashwood, says the Fresno Republican, yesterday made good his announced intention of bringing suit for slander for charges that he "threw" a baseball game. The player first consulted Hanford attorneys, as reported some time ago, and was advised that he had a cause of action, but was told to bring it in Fresno county, as the alleged slander occurred in Coalinga. Dashwood came to Fresno and retained M. B. Harris and J. P. Bernhard, who yesterday filed the papers. The suit is against Waller W. Ayers, a druggist of Coalinga, and the sum asked is $5,000, the alleged slander having been uttered on the 7th of last July in Coalinga. Dashwood recites that he was disgraced and injured in his trade, occupation and profession, and also injured in his reputation and good name. The statement claimed to be false and slanderous is alleged to be: "During the game at Visalia you threw the game. How much did you get for throwing the game?" Dashwood was the catcher for the Coalinga club in the Fourth of July games with the Visalia nine at Visalla, and Coalinga lost both games. Dashwood construes through the pleadings of Lawyers J. P. Bernhard and M. B. Harris that the language of Ayer, publicly uttered, meant that he had been corrupted by bribe money and did wilfully and intentionally carry on his profession in such an incompetent manner as to betray his employers and permit the Visalla baseball team to unfairly win such game and that the losing of said game by the Coalinga baseball team was due to the corrupt and dishonest manner that this plaintiff carried on his trade or profession. On account of these accusations, Dashwood says he lost his position as a member of the Coalinga baseball team, which was paying him a salary of $150 per month and his expenses, aggregating $50 per month, and which position he would otherwise have retained until November 1, 1908.
(San Francisco Call, 12 February 1910) - San Jose May Capture Two Good Ones - [Special Dispatch lo The Call] SAN JOSE. Feb. 11 — President Browne Willis of the San Jose baseball association has received terms from Catcher William Dashwood of Santa Cruz and from First Baseman Devereaux J. Peters of Salinas, formerly of Santa Clara college. Willis is still looking for an active manager, but in the meantime is not losing any time in picking a team.
(Santa Cruz Evening News, 8 March 1910) - Ex-Sand Crab to Play in the South - CATCHER DASHWOOD SIGNS WITH VISALIA, Mar. 8th - Manager Newt Young of the Pirates has announced that he has signed Dashwood for the local team again this season. Dashwood has been holding out for more money than Young was willing to pay, but has agreed to the terms. He will be in Visalia about April 1, when training will begin. "Dash" is a good man and the local fans are pleased that he is again to be behind the bat.
- Visalia is located in the San Joaquin Valley in central California, 35 miles southeast of Fresno, California. The Visalia Pirates were one of only two teams to finish the season in the 1910 San Joaquin Valley League. They finished 13-17, well behind the first place Bakersfield Drillers.
(Santa Cruz Sentinel, 30 July 1910) - San Jose has signed Conrad, the ex-Crab to take Dashwood's place behind the bat. "Dasher's" salary ambition almost staggered Mike Steffani and before the latter could regain his equilibrium the former Santa Cruz player was on his way to join the Visalia Pirates of the Valley league.
(The Tacoma Times, April 26, 1911) - President Wattelet and Manager Householder of Victoria got busy in Spokane right away, and breezed up to the sporting writers, with the result that the following little effusions graced the sporting pages next day: "The Speed Boys" is the way Eddie Householder styles his twirling staff, a six-man aggregation led by Thomas, Clearwater, Cal., phenom, and the playing manager of the Victoria Islanders not only expects his speed boys to trample upon Spokane in the present series, hut win a pennant for the new Northwestern league entry. Thomas, the star of the sextet, has as much speed as Walter Johnson, star speed artist of the Big Brush, according to Backstop Dashwood of the Islanders.
(The Tacoma Times, May 16, 1911) - Eddie Householder is awful street on Rex DeVogt, and would jump at the chance to have Rex alternate with Dashwood. Eddie is a little shy on real backstop material, and knowing a good receiver when he sees one, he naturally falls for Rex. He asked the writer last night why Mike was not catching Rex, and were told that there was a surplus of first-class catching talent on the Tiger staff and that both Shreeder and Mike were sweet on Eddie Burns. Ed looked up Mike right away and began to talk trade. The Islanders outfit is oversupplied with infielders, and Ed said he would jump at the chance to swap for the stocky Rex.
(22 July 1911) - Dashwood played his last game for Victoria on the 21 July 1911 - it was the first game of a doubleheader against the Vancouver Beavers. By the 25th August 1911 he is umpiring games in the Northwestern League. His last game that he umpired in for 1911 season was on - 30 September.
(Santa Cruz Evening News, 13 January 1912) - Dashwood, the former Sand Crab was in consultation with President Baum, of the Pacific Coast league, yesterday; in regard to securing a job as umpire. Dashwood umpired considerably in the Northwesters league last season.
(Morning Oregonian, January 17, 1912) - Dashwood, former Northwestern League catcher, approached President Baum of the Coast League the other day asking for a job as umpire.
(Morning Oregonian, April 01, 1912) - Portland Colts Will Have Nine Day Session With Club - SACRAMENTO, Cal. March 31.
(Special.) The Portland Northwestern regulars will leave tomorrow morning for Reddlng which will be their first stop on their way home. The Yannigans will join the regulars there. Beginning tomorrow the Portland players will be the guests of the citizens of Redding, who have arranged a nine day baseball card with the local team, captained by Dashwood ex-Victoria catcher. After leaving Redding the team probably will stop at Medford, Grants Pass. Eugene and Albany, although the exact schedule has not been determined.
(Santa Cruz Evening News, 8 June 1914) - Umpire Dashwood, the California leaguer, has broken Into the Coast league, and according to reports is getting away to a good start. He umpired the Los Angeles - Oakland series together with Hayes. Dashwood was tho butt of several jokes sprung by San Francisco newspapermen when he halted Saturday's game to put on his overcoat and gloves to shield himself from the heavy fog that poured in from the bay.
(The Sunday Oregonian, June 14, 1914) - Umpire Dashwood Decision Draws League Director Into General Fight. - Special Police, Fans and Players Join in Scuffle in Which Manager Howard Lets Loose Famous Punch. - San Francisco, June 13. —The ball game this afternoon between the Seals and Angels broke up in a free-for-all fight, in which Cal Ewing, Manager Del Howard and Umpire Dashwood figured in the star roles. The game ran into the tenth inning when Dashwood called a runner safe on a ball thrown home from third which bounded in the air when It struck the catchers hands but was safely caught as it came down. The decision was given while the ball was still in the air and Dashwood refused to change his ruling. Howard was on Dashwood with bound, grabbing him by the throat and shaking him like a bulldog shaking a rat. Cal Ewing ran between the men and Frank Dillon rushed in apparently to support Dashwood, when Ewing gave him a punch in the stomach. Howard was apparently anxious for more as he rushed to the rescue of his chief, but the interference of several hundred spectators and the special police ended the spectacle. President Baum now has a knotty problem to solve. As Ewing was in uniform at the time he is under the rule of the president, although he is a fellow director with that official Baum will have to pass on Dashwood's ruling as well as the conduct of both managers.
(Sacramento Union, 14 June 1914) - Special to the Union. SAN FRANCISCO. June 13.—A general fight ended the Angels - Seals game today due to a wonder decision by Umpire Dashwood late of the state league. The result will probably be the suspension of Del Howard for his part and possibly a censure for Cal Ewing, who took a healthy poke at Pop Dillon. Dillon had the effrontery to call Ewing an old man and Cal Ewing wouldn’t take that from anybody. The Seals had a man on third and another on second in the tenth with one run needed to tie the score. Jerry Downs grounded sharply to third. Moore made the whip across the diamond. Abstein caught the ball, but it bounced out of his hands and was high in the air as Jerry crossed first. Dashwood called him out. Howard never lost a moment. He was on top of Dashwod in an instant, grabbed the umpire firmly by the throat with his two hands and shook him as a bulldog would shake a cat. Cal Ewing, owner of the Seals, who was in uniform for the sake of a joke with Henry Berry and had been doing some fancy coaching stunts of his own, came between big angry manager and the indicator man. Frank Dillon came to the fore, evidently for the sake of supporting Dashwood and Ewing, who had been telling the Dasher just what he thought of him, took a fling at “Pop’’ of Los Angeles fame. Howard, still anxious for more of the same, hurried to the rescue of his chief, and not to be outdone in any particular, also let loose a famous Howard punch. Hundreds of the fans rushed in between the contestants and the spectacle was ended.
(Los Angeles Herald, 17 September 1918) - Catcher Dashwood, who used to be with the Oakland team, now is in the army and is stationed at Camp Kearny. (Camp Kearny was a U.S. military base (first Army, later Navy) in San Diego County, California, on the site of the current Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It operated from 1917 to 1946. The base was named in honor of Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearny)
(Santa Cruz Evening News, 5 April 1927) - There were other star players on the Sand Crabs in those good old days, but none of them were lucky enough to be in the $200 a month salary class. Bill Waters, still residing here, was satisfied to receive $175 per, and so was Dasher Dashwood, a catcher by occupation and who with Sharkey Conrad did the backstopping for the crab family. Conrad, an ex-soldier who had more ginger than a barrel of West India peppers, only received $125, but was able to put on the front of a millionaire on this salary.
French postcard by J.D, et Cie, 3e Serie. Photo: DuGuy. Caption: De Féraudy, Comédie Française.
Maurice de Féraudy (1859-1932) was an actor of the Comédie-Française and a French director. He was also a notable actor and director in French silent cinema.
Dominique Marie Maurice de Féraudy was born in Joinville-le-Pont near Paris in 1859. His father was the commander of the Ecole militaire de gymnastique at Joinville-le-Pont. After the Conservatoire, where he was a pupil of Got, Maurice entered the Théâtre Français in 1880. He became ‘sociétaire’ of the Comédie-Française in 1887, and ‘doyen’ (dean) in 1929, but he left that same year. He was much acclaimed as a comedian, because of his performances full of gaiety. The role of his life, which he performed some 1,200 times within 30 years – and had the monopoly on it – was that of Isidore Lechat in 'Les affaires sont les affaires' (1903, Business is business) by Octave Mirbeau. Other plays he acted in were by a.o. Bataille, Kistemaekers, Guitry, Ibsen, but also classics by Molière, Balzac and Dumas fils. Between 1896 and 1905, Féraudy taught at the Conservatoire, training upcoming actors like Gabriel Signoret. Féraudy also wrote numerous songs for Paulette Darty, such as the famous Fascination (1901), reprised afterwards by Suzy Delair and Diane Dufresne. He was the father of Jacques de Féraudy (1886-1971), who became an actor as well.
In 1908-1909, Maurice de Féraudy debuted in the cinema. He directed almost 40 shorts under the aegis of his short-lived company Théâtro-Films. His son Jacques debuted in two of these films, Simple histoire/Simple story (1908) and Georgette (1908). Afterwards Féraudy directed a handful of mostly short films at Pathé and Gaumont, with actors who would later become famous, such as Albert Dieudonné, Roger Karl, Maria Falconetti and Jean Angelo. Féraudy last’s direction was the film Après lui (1918) in which he had the lead himself. While most of the films he directed are forgotten now, better known are the films in which he acted. In the 1910s Féraudy played in films at Eclair, such as Les gaités de l’escadron/The gaiety of the squadron (Joseph Faivre, Maurice Tourneur, 1913), La dame de Monsoreau/The lady Monsoreau (Emile Chautard, 1913), and Monsieur Lecoq (Maurice Tourneur, 1914). In the 1920s, Féraudy enjoyed the pleasure of playing memorable roles despite his high age. After supporting roles in two films with René Hervil: L’ami Fritz/In Old Alsace (1921) and Blanchette (1921), both with Léon Mathot in the lead, Féraudy had the male lead himself together with young Jean Forest in Crainquebille/Coster Bill of Paris (Jacques Feyder, 1922). In this adaptation of a novel by Anatole France, Féraudy played an ageing street vendor who has worked all his life at Les Halles in Paris. Innocently he lands in jail and loses his customers once released, thus becoming an alcoholic. A young street boy (Forest) prevents him from suicide, though, convincing him to start all over again. Next Féraudy played the title role in the Balzac adaptation Cousin Pons (Jacques Robert, 1923), about a musician and poor art collector who is befriended by a sympathetic German (André Nox). The human vultures around him, such as his wealthy parvenu lawyer cousins and his landlady, realize that he possesses a valuable art collection, and try to crush poor Pons.
Maurice de Féraudy next played in Le secret de Polichinelle/The Secret of Polichinelle (René Hervil, 1923) about a young man who wants to marry a working-class girl (Andrée Brabant) against the wishes of his parents, Le Coeur des gueux/Heart beggars (Alfred Machin, Henri Wulschleger, 1925) with Ginette Maddie, the Danish film Klovne/The Clown (Anders Sandberg, 1926) with Gösta Ekman and Karina Bell, Lady Harrington (Fred Leroy-Granville, H.C. Grantham-Hayes, 1926) with Claude France and Warwick Ward, Fleur d’amour/Love Flower (Marcel Vandal, 1927) in which Féraudy had the male lead opposite Rose Mai, and the German film Die Hölle von Montmartre/The Hell of Montmartre (Willy Reiber, Franz Seitz, 1928) with Eric Barclay and Suzy Vernon. A last memorable part was Féraudy’s role in the tragicomedy Les Deux timides/Two Timid Souls by (René Clair, 1928) in which Pierre Batcheff plays Frémissin, a timid young lawyer who loves Cécile (Vera Flory) whose father (Féraudy) suffers from the same timidity. When because of his weak defence a brutal husband is sentenced, the latter (Jim Gérald) uses all means to wreck the young lawyer’s own future marriage with Cécile, as he wants her for himself. Helped by his future father-in-law, Frémissin triumphs and clears his father-in-law and himself from all slander. After one last part in the early French sound film Ça aussi! … c’est Paris/That too! This is Paris (Antoine Mourre, 1930), Féraudy retired. He still acted on stage and was even highly successful in 'Cette vieille canaille' in 1931-1932. Maurice de Féraudy died in Paris in 1932 and was buried at the cemetery of Montparnasse.
Sources: Ciné Ressources (French), dvdtoile (French), Le Petit Parisien (French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
+++++++ FROM WIKIPEDIA ++++++
Kolkata /koʊlˈkɑːtə/ ([kolkata] (About this soundlisten), also known as Calcutta /kælˈkʌtə/, the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River approximately 75 kilometres (47 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh, it is the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India, while the Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port and its sole major riverine port. The city is widely regarded as the "cultural capital" of India, and is also nicknamed the "City of Joy".[1][2][3].According to the 2011 Indian census, it is the seventh most populous city. the city had a population of 4.5 million, while the population of the city and its suburbs was 14.1 million, making it the third-most populous metropolitan area in India. Recent estimates of Kolkata Metropolitan Area's economy have ranged from $60 to $150 billion (GDP adjusted for purchasing power parity) making it third most-productive metropolitan area in India, after Mumbai and Delhi.[11][12][13]
In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690,[15] the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified trading post. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish Nizamat (local rule), and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule, and later under the British Raj, Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi. Calcutta was the centre for the Indian independence movement; it remains a hotbed of contemporary state politics. Following Indian independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the centre of modern Indian education, science, culture, and politics, suffered several decades of economic stagnation.
As a nucleus of the 19th- and early 20th-century Bengal Renaissance and a religiously and ethnically diverse centre of culture in Bengal and India, Kolkata has local traditions in drama, art, film, theatre, and literature. Many people from Kolkata—among them several Nobel laureates—have contributed to the arts, the sciences, and other areas. Kolkata culture features idiosyncrasies that include distinctively close-knit neighbourhoods (paras) and freestyle intellectual exchanges (adda). West Bengal's share of the Bengali film industry is based in the city, which also hosts venerable cultural institutions of national importance, such as the Academy of Fine Arts, the Victoria Memorial, the Asiatic Society, the Indian Museum and the National Library of India. Among professional scientific institutions, Kolkata hosts the Agri Horticultural Society of India, the Geological Survey of India, the Botanical Survey of India, the Calcutta Mathematical Society, the Indian Science Congress Association, the Zoological Survey of India, the Institution of Engineers, the Anthropological Survey of India and the Indian Public Health Association. Though home to major cricketing venues and franchises, Kolkata differs from other Indian cities by giving importance to association football and other sports.
Etymology
The word Kolkata derives from the Bengali term Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা) [ˈkɔlikat̪a], the name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British, in the area where the city eventually was to be established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.[16]
There are several explanations about the etymology of this name:
The term Kolikata is thought to be a variation of Kalikkhetrô [ˈkalikʰːet̪rɔ] (Bengali: কালীক্ষেত্র), meaning "Field of [the goddess] Kali". Similarly, it can be a variation of 'Kalikshetra' (Sanskrit: कालीक्षेत्र, lit. "area of Goddess Kali").
Another theory is that the name derives from Kalighat.[17]
Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the Bengali term kilkila (Bengali: কিলকিলা), or "flat area".[18]
The name may have its origin in the words khal [ˈkʰal] (Bengali: খাল) meaning "canal", followed by kaṭa [ˈkata] (Bengali: কাটা), which may mean "dug".[19]
According to another theory, the area specialised in the production of quicklime or koli chun [ˈkɔlitɕun] (Bengali: কলি চুন) and coir or kata [ˈkat̪a] (Bengali: কাতা); hence, it was called Kolikata [ˈkɔlikat̪a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা).[18]
Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata [ˈkolkat̪a] (Bengali: কলকাতা) or Kôlikata [ˈkɔlikat̪a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা) in Bengali, the anglicised form Calcutta was the official name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata in order to match Bengali pronunciation.[20] (It should be noted that "Calcutt" is an etymologically unrelated place name found at several locations in England.)
History
The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Kolkata, provide evidence that the region in which the city stands has been inhabited for over two millennia.[21][22] Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock, an administrator who worked for the company, was formerly credited as the founder of the city;[23] In response to a public petition,[24] the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder.[25] The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti. Kalikata was a fishing village; Sutanuti was a riverside weavers' village. They were part of an estate belonging to the Mughal emperor; the jagirdari (a land grant bestowed by a king on his noblemen) taxation rights to the villages were held by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of landowners, or zamindars. These rights were transferred to the East India Company in 1698.[26]:1
In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William, located on the east bank of the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory.[27] Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces, the British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning went unheeded, and the Nawab attacked; he captured Fort William which led to the killings of several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta.[28] A force of Company soldiers (sepoys) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured the city the following year.[28] Per the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad following the battle of Buxar, East India company was appointed imperial tax collector of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed Nawabs continued to rule the province.[29] Declared a presidency city, Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1773.[30] In 1793, ruling power of the Nawabs were abolished and East India company took complete control of the city and the province. In the early 19th century, the marshes surrounding the city were drained; the government area was laid out along the banks of the Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley, Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William between 1797 and 1805, was largely responsible for the development of the city and its public architecture.[31] Throughout the late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the East India Company's opium trade.[32]
By the 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred on Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centred on North Calcutta.[33] The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s, especially in the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British companies to massively invest in infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and Howrah railway station. The coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in the emergence of a new babu class of urbane Indians, whose members were often bureaucrats, professionals, newspaper readers, and Anglophiles; they usually belonged to upper-caste Hindu communities.[34] In the 19th century, the Bengal Renaissance brought about an increased sociocultural sophistication among city denizens. In 1883, Calcutta was host to the first national conference of the Indian National Association, the first avowed nationalist organisation in India.[35]
Bengali billboards on Harrison Street. Calcutta was the largest commercial centre in British India.
The partition of Bengal in 1905 along religious lines led to mass protests, making Calcutta a less hospitable place for the British.[36][37] The capital was moved to New Delhi in 1911.[38] Calcutta continued to be a centre for revolutionary organisations associated with the Indian independence movement. The city and its port were bombed several times by the Japanese between 1942 and 1944, during World War II.[39][40] Coinciding with the war, millions starved to death during the Bengal famine of 1943 due to a combination of military, administrative, and natural factors.[41] Demands for the creation of a Muslim state led in 1946 to an episode of communal violence that killed over 4,000.[42][43][44] The partition of India led to further clashes and a demographic shift—many Muslims left for East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh), while hundreds of thousands of Hindus fled into the city.[45]
During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes, and a violent Marxist–Maoist movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure, resulting in economic stagnation.[46] The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 led to a massive influx of thousands of refugees, many of them penniless, that strained Kolkata's infrastructure.[47] During the mid-1980s, Mumbai (then called Bombay) overtook Kolkata as India's most populous city. In 1985, prime minister Rajiv Gandhi dubbed Kolkata a "dying city" in light of its socio-political woes.[48] In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from Kolkata by the Left Front, which was dominated by the Communist Party of India (CPM). It was the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government, during which Kolkata was a key base for Indian communism.[49][50][51] In the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, 2011, Left Front was defeated by the Trinamool Congress. The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after the 1990s, when India began to institute pro-market reforms. Since 2000, the information technology (IT) services sector has revitalised Kolkata's stagnant economy. The city is also experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base.[52]
Geography
Spread roughly north–south along the east bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of the international border with Bangladesh; the city's elevation is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft).[53] Much of the city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population.[54] The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands, were designated a "wetland of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention (1975).[55] As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin.[56] Bengal basin comprises three structural units: shelf or platform in the west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east and southeast. Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km (16 mi) wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface.[56] The shelf and hinge zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below Kolkata is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement; of these the top 350–450 m (1,150–1,480 ft) is Quaternary, followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft) of Tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of Cretaceous trap and 600–800 m (1,970–2,620 ft) Permian-Carboniferous Gondwana rocks.[56] The quaternary sediments consist of clay, silt, and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds: the lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft); the upper one 10–40 m (30–130 ft) in thickness.[57] According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone III.[58]
Urban structure
Howrah Bridge from the western bank of the Ganges
The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)[59]:7 and comprises 3 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 39 local municipalities and 24 panchayat samitis, as of 2011.[59]:7 The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006.[60] Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of the following districts: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, and Nadia.[61]:15 Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an area of 185 km2 (71 sq mi).[60] The east–west dimension of the city is comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi).[62] The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section the city into North, Central, and South Kolkata. East Kolkata is also a section.
North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture, dilapidated buildings, overpopulated slums, crowded bazaars, and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such as Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Maniktala, Kankurgachi, Rajabazar, Shobhabazar, Shyampukur, Sonagachi, Kumortuli, Bagbazar, Jorasanko, Chitpur, Pathuriaghata, Cossipore, Kestopur, Sinthee, Belgachia, Jorabagan, and Dum Dum.[63]:65–66 The northern suburban areas like Baranagar, Durganagar, Noapara, Dunlop, Dakshineswar, Nagerbazar, Belghoria, Agarpara, Sodepur, Madhyamgram, Barasat, Birati, Khardah up to Barrackpur are also within the city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure).
Central Kolkata
Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh, formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Strand Road is on its west.[64] The West Bengal Secretariat, General Post Office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, Lalbazar Police Headquarters, and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub is the area south of Park Street, which comprises thoroughfares such as Chowringhee, Camac Street, Wood Street, Loudon Street, Shakespeare Sarani, and A. J. C. Bose Road.[65] The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the "lungs of Kolkata"[66] and accommodates sporting events and public meetings.[67] The Victoria Memorial and Kolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan. Other important areas of Central Kolkata are Park Circus, Burrabazar, College Street, Sealdah, Taltala, Janbazar, Bowbazar, Entally, Chandni Chowk, Lalbazar, Chowringhee, Dharmatala, Tiretta Bazar, Bow Barracks, Mullick Bazar, Park Circus, Babughat etc. Among the other parks are Central Park in Bidhannagar and Millennium Park on Strand Road, along the Hooghly River.
South Kolkata
South Kolkata developed after India gained independence in 1947; it includes upscale neighbourhoods such as Ballygunge, Alipore, New Alipore, Lansdowne, Bhowanipore, Kalighat, Dhakuria, Gariahat, Tollygunge, Naktala, Jodhpur Park, Lake Gardens, Golf Green, Jadavpur, Garfa, Kalikapur, Haltu, Nandi Bagan, Santoshpur, Baghajatin, Garia, Ramgarh, Raipur, Kanungo Park, Ranikuthi, Bikramgarh, Bijoygarh, Bansdroni and Kudghat.[16] Outlying areas of South Kolkata include Garden Reach, Khidirpur, Metiabruz, Taratala, Majerhat, Budge Budge, Behala, Sarsuna, Barisha, Parnasree Pally, Thakurpukur, Maheshtala and Joka. The southern suburban neighbourhoods like Mahamayatala, Pratapgarh, Kamalgazi, Narendrapur, Sonarpur, Subhashgram and Baruipur are also within the city of Kolkata (as metropolitan, urban agglomeration area). Fort William, on the western part of the city, houses the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army;[68] its premises are under the jurisdiction of the army.
East Kolkata
East Kolkata is largely composed of newly developed areas and neighbourhoods of Saltlake, Rajarhat, Tangra, Topsia, Kasba, Anandapur, Mukundapur, Picnic Garden, Beleghata, Ultadanga, Phoolbagan, Kaikhali, Lake Town, etc. Two planned townships in the greater Kolkata region are Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake City and located north-east of the city; and Rajarhat, also called New Town and sited east of Bidhannagar.[16][69] In the 2000s, Sector V in Bidhannagar developed into a business hub for information technology and telecommunication companies.[70][71] Both Bidhannagar and New Town are situated outside the Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits, in their own municipalities.[69]
Climate
Kolkata is subject to a tropical wet-and-dry climate that is designated Aw under the Köppen climate classification. According to a United Nations Development Programme report, its wind and cyclone zone is "very high damage risk".[58]
Temperature
The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 19–30 °C (66–86 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30s Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in May and June.[72] Winter lasts for roughly two-and-a-half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C (48–52 °F) in December and January. May is the hottest month, with daily temperatures ranging from 27–37 °C (81–99 °F); January, the coldest month, has temperatures varying from 12–23 °C (54–73 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F).[72] The winter is mild and very comfortable weather pertains over the city throughout this season. Often, in April–June, the city is struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls that are followed by thunderstorms or hailstorms, bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity. These thunderstorms are convective in nature, and are known locally as kal bôishakhi (কালবৈশাখী), or "Nor'westers" in English.[73]
Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon[74] lash Kolkata between June and September, supplying it with most of its annual rainfall of about 1,850 mm (73 in). The highest monthly rainfall total occurs in July and August. In these months often incessant rain for days brings live to a stall for the city dwellers. The city receives 2,528 hours of sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in March.[75] Kolkata has been hit by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737 and 1864 that killed thousands.[76][77]
Environmental issues
Pollution is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide annual concentration were within the national ambient air quality standards of India, but respirable suspended particulate matter levels were high, and on an increasing trend for five consecutive years, causing smog and haze.[80][81] Severe air pollution in the city has caused a rise in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer.[82]
Economy
Kolkata is the main commercial and financial hub of East and North-East India[61] and home to the Calcutta Stock Exchange.[83][84] It is a major commercial and military port, and is the only city in eastern India, apart from Bhubaneswar to have an international airport. Once India's leading city, Kolkata experienced a steady economic decline in the decades following India's independence due to steep population increases and a rise in militant trade-unionism, which included frequent strikes that were backed by left-wing parties.[52] From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several factories were closed and businesses relocated.[52] The lack of capital and resources added to the depressed state of the city's economy and gave rise to an unwelcome sobriquet: the "dying city".[85] The city's fortunes improved after the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s and changes in economic policy were enacted by the West Bengal state government.[52]
Flexible production has been the norm in Kolkata, which has an informal sector that employs more than 40% of the labour force.[16] One unorganised group, roadside hawkers, generated business worth ₹ 8,772 crore (US$ 2 billion) in 2005.[86] As of 2001, around 0.81% of the city's workforce was employed in the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, mining, etc.); 15.49% worked in the secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing); and 83.69% worked in the tertiary sector (service industries).[61]:19 As of 2003, the majority of households in slums were engaged in occupations belonging to the informal sector; 36.5% were involved in servicing the urban middle class (as maids, drivers, etc.), and 22.2% were casual labourers.[87]:11 About 34% of the available labour force in Kolkata slums were unemployed.[87]:11 According to one estimate, almost a quarter of the population live on less than 27 rupees (equivalent to 45 US cents) per day.[88] As of 2010, Kolkata, with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) by purchasing power parity of 150 billion dollars, ranked third among South Asian cities, after Mumbai and Delhi.[89] Kolkata's GDP in 2014 was Rs 1.84 trillion, according to a collaborative assessment by multiple universities and climate agencies.[90] As in many other Indian cities, information technology became a high-growth sector in Kolkata starting in the late 1990s; the city's IT sector grew at 70% per annum—a rate that was twice the national average.[52] The 2000s saw a surge of investments in the real estate, infrastructure, retail, and hospitality sectors; several large shopping malls and hotels were launched.[91][92][93][94][95] Companies such as ITC Limited, CESC Limited, Exide Industries, Emami, Eveready Industries India, Lux Industries, Rupa Company, Berger Paints, Birla Corporation and Britannia Industries are headquartered in the city. Philips India, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Steel have their registered office and zonal headquarters in Kolkata. Kolkata hosts the headquarters of three major public-sector banks: Allahabad Bank, UCO Bank, and the United Bank of India; and a private bank Bandhan Bank. Reserve Bank of India has its eastern zonal office in Kolkata, and India Government Mint, Kolkata is one of the four mints in India.
Panoramic view of the Down town Sector V one of the major IT hubs of Kolkata as seen from the lakes surrounding Bidhannagar. Major Buildings such as Technopolis, Godrej Waterside, TCS Lords, Eden and Wanderers Park, Gobsyn Crystal, South City Pinnacle, RDB Boulevard, West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation (WEBEL) Bhawan can be seen.
Demographics
See also: Ethnic communities in Kolkata
A skyline consisting of several high-rise buildings
Residential high-rise buildings in South City
A slum area of the city
The demonym for residents of Kolkata are Calcuttan and Kolkatan.[96][97] According to provisional results of the 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of 185 km2 (71 sq mi), had a population of 4,486,679;[98] its population density was 24,252/km2 (62,810/sq mi).[98] This represents a decline of 1.88% during the decade 2001–11. The sex ratio is 899 females per 1000 males—lower than the national average.[99] The ratio is depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from the rest of West Bengal; these men commonly leave their families behind.[100] Kolkata's literacy rate of 87.14%[99] exceeds the national average of 74%.[101] The final population totals of census 2011 stated the population of city as 4,496,694.[8] The urban agglomeration had a population of 14,112,536 in 2011.[9]
Bengali Hindus form the majority of Kolkata's population; Marwaris, Biharis and Muslims compose large minorities.[102] Among Kolkata's smaller communities are Chinese, Tamils, Nepalis, Odias, Telugus, Assamese, Gujaratis, Anglo-Indians, Armenians, Greeks, Tibetans, Maharashtrians, Konkanis, Malayalees, Punjabis, and Parsis.[26]:3 The number of Armenians, Greeks, Jews, and other foreign-origin groups declined during the 20th century.[103] The Jewish population of Kolkata was 5,000 during World War II, but declined after Indian independence and the establishment of Israel;[104] by 2013, there were 25 Jews in the city.[105] India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata;[103] once home to 20,000 ethnic Chinese, its population dropped to around 2,000 as of 2009[103] as a result of multiple factors including repatriation and denial of Indian citizenship following the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and immigration to foreign countries for better economic opportunities.[106] The Chinese community traditionally worked in the local tanning industry and ran Chinese restaurants.[103][107]
Kolkata urban agglomeration population growth Census Total %±
1981 9,194,000 —
1991 11,021,900 19.9%
2001 13,114,700 19.0%
2011 14,112,536 7.6%
Source: Census of India[9]
Others include Sikhism, Buddhism & Other religions (0.03%)
Religion in Kolkata[108]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
76.51%
Islam
20.60%
Christianity
0.88%
Jainism
0.47%
Others
1.54%
Bengali, the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata.[109] English is also used, particularly by the white-collar workforce. Hindi and Urdu are spoken by a sizeable minority.[110][111] According to the 2011 census, 76.51% of the population is Hindu, 20.60% Muslim, 0.88% Christian, and 0.47% Jain.[112] The remainder of the population includes Sikhs, Buddhists, and other religions which accounts for 0.45% of the population; 1.09% did not state a religion in the census.[112] Kolkata reported 67.6% of Special and Local Laws crimes registered in 35 large Indian cities during 2004.[113] The Kolkata police district registered 15,510 Indian Penal Code cases in 2010, the 8th-highest total in the country.[114] In 2010, the crime rate was 117.3 per 100,000, below the national rate of 187.6; it was the lowest rate among India's largest cities.[115]
As of 2003, about one-third of the population, or 1.5 million people, lived in 3,500 unregistered squatter-occupied and 2,011 registered slums.[87]:4[116]:92 The authorised slums (with access to basic services like water, latrines, trash removal by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation) can be broadly divided into two groups—bustees, in which slum dwellers have some long term tenancy agreement with the landowners; and udbastu colonies, settlements which had been leased to refugees from present-day Bangladesh by the Government.[116][87]:5 The unauthorised slums (devoid of basic services provided by the municipality) are occupied by squatters who started living on encroached lands—mainly along canals, railway lines and roads.[116]:92[87]:5 According to the 2005 National Family Health Survey, around 14% of the households in Kolkata were poor, while 33% lived in slums, indicating a substantial proportion of households in slum areas were better off economically than the bottom quarter of urban households in terms of wealth status.[117]:23 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding and working with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata—an organisation "whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after".[118]
Government and public services
Civic administration
Main article: Civic administration of Kolkata
A red-and-yellow building with multiple arches and towers standing against a backdrop of blue sky and framed by trees
Calcutta High Court
Kolkata is administered by several government agencies. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, or KMC, oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city's 15 boroughs, which together encompass 141 wards.[109] Each ward elects a councillor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee of councillors, each of whom is elected to represent a ward. By means of the borough committees, the corporation undertakes urban planning and maintains roads, government-aided schools, hospitals, and municipal markets.[119] As Kolkata's apex body, the corporation discharges its functions through the mayor-in-council, which comprises a mayor, a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of the KMC.[120] The functions of the KMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid waste management, street lighting, and building regulation.[119]
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation was ranked 1st out of 21 Cities for best governance & administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 4.0 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3.[121]
The Kolkata Port Trust, an agency of the central government, manages the city's river port. As of 2012, the All India Trinamool Congress controls the KMC; the mayor is Firhad Hakim, while the deputy mayor is Atin Ghosh.[122] The city has an apolitical titular post, that of the Sheriff of Kolkata, which presides over various city-related functions and conferences.[123]
Kolkata's administrative agencies have areas of jurisdiction that do not coincide. Listed in ascending order by area, they are: Kolkata district; the Kolkata Police area and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area, or "Kolkata city";[124] and the Kolkata metropolitan area, which is the city's urban agglomeration. The agency overseeing the latter, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, is responsible for the statutory planning and development of greater Kolkata.[125]
As the seat of the Government of West Bengal, Kolkata is home to not only the offices of the local governing agencies, but also the West Bengal Legislative Assembly; the state secretariat, which is housed in the Writers' Building; and the Calcutta High Court. Most government establishments and institutions are housed in the centre of the city in B. B. D. Bagh (formerly known as Dalhousie Square). The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was preceded by the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William which was established in 1774. The Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kolkata has lower courts: the Court of Small Causes and the City Civil Court decide civil matters; the Sessions Court rules in criminal cases.[126][127][128] The Kolkata Police, headed by a police commissioner, is overseen by the West Bengal Ministry of Home Affairs.[129][130] The Kolkata district elects two representatives to India's lower house, the Lok Sabha, and 11 representatives to the state legislative assembly.[131]
Utility services
A telecommunications tower belonging to services provider Tata Communications
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation supplies the city with potable water that is sourced from the Hooghly River;[132] most of it is treated and purified at the Palta pumping station located in North 24 Parganas district.[133] Roughly 95% of the 4,000 tonnes of refuse produced daily by the city is transported to the dumping grounds in Dhapa, which is east of the town.[134][135] To promote the recycling of garbage and sewer water, agriculture is encouraged on the dumping grounds.[136] Parts of the city lack proper sewerage, leading to unsanitary methods of waste disposal.[75]
Electricity is supplied by the privately operated Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, or CESC, to the city proper; the West Bengal State Electricity Board supplies it in the suburbs.[137][138] Fire services are handled by the West Bengal Fire Service, a state agency.[139] As of 2012, the city had 16 fire stations.[140]
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, or BSNL, as well as private enterprises, among them Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, Reliance, Idea Cellular, Aircel, Tata DoCoMo, Tata Teleservices, Virgin Mobile, and MTS India, are the leading telephone and cell phone service providers in the city.[141]:25–26:179 with Kolkata being the first city in India to have cell phone and 4G connectivity, the GSM and CDMA cellular coverage is extensive.[142][143] As of 2010, Kolkata has 7 percent of the total Broadband internet consumers in India; BSNL, VSNL, Tata Indicom, Sify, Airtel, and Reliance are among the main vendors.[144][145]
Military and diplomatic establishments
The Eastern Command of the Indian Army is based in the city. Being one of India's major city and the largest city in eastern and north-eastern India, Kolkata hosts diplomatic missions of many countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Srilanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. The U.S Consulate in Kolkata is the US Department of State's second oldest Consulate and dates from 19 November 1792.[146]
Transport
Public transport is provided by the Kolkata Suburban Railway, the Kolkata Metro, trams, rickshaws, and buses. The suburban rail network reaches the city's distant suburbs.
According to a 2013 survey conducted by the International Association of Public Transport, in terms of a public transport system, Kolkata ranks among the top of the six Indian cities surveyed.[147][148] The Kolkata Metro, in operation since 1984, is the oldest underground mass transit system in India.[149] It spans the north–south length of the city and covers a distance of 25.1 km (16 mi).[150] As of 2009, five Metro rail lines were under construction.[151] Kolkata has four long-distance railway stations, located at Howrah (the largest railway complex in India), Sealdah, Chitpur and Shalimar, which connect Kolkata by rail to most cities in West Bengal and to other major cities in India.[152] The city serves as the headquarters of three railway Zone out of Seventeen of the Indian Railways regional divisions—the Kolkata Metro Railways, Eastern Railway and the South-Eastern Railway.[153] Kolkata has rail and road connectivity with Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.[154][155][156]
Buses, which are the most commonly used mode of transport, are run by government agencies and private operators.[157] Kolkata is the only Indian city with a tram network, which is operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company.[158] The slow-moving tram services are restricted to certain areas of the city. Water-logging, caused by heavy rains that fall during the summer monsoon, can interrupt transportation networks.[159][160] Hired public conveyances include auto rickshaws, which often ply specific routes, and yellow metered taxis. Almost all of Kolkata's taxis are antiquated Hindustan Ambassadors by make; newer air-conditioned radio taxis are in service as well.[161][162] In parts of the city, cycle rickshaws and hand-pulled rickshaws are patronised by the public for short trips.[163]
Due to its diverse and abundant public transportation, privately owned vehicles are not as common in Kolkata as in other major Indian cities.[164] The city has witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered vehicles; 2002 data showed an increase of 44% over a period of seven years.[165] As of 2004, after adjusting for population density, the city's "road space" was only 6% compared to 23% in Delhi and 17% in Mumbai.[166] The Kolkata Metro has somewhat eased traffic congestion, as has the addition of new roads and flyovers. Agencies operating long-distance bus services include the Calcutta State Transport Corporation, the South Bengal State Transport Corporation, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, and various private operators. The city's main bus terminals are located at Esplanade and Babughat.[167] The Kolkata–Delhi and Kolkata–Chennai prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral, and National Highway 34 start from the city.[168]
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, located in Dum Dum some 16 km (9.9 mi) north-east of the city centre, operates domestic and international flights. In 2013, the airport was upgraded to handle increased air traffic.[169][170]
The Port of Kolkata, established in 1870, is India's oldest and the only major river port.[171] The Kolkata Port Trust manages docks in Kolkata and Haldia.[172] The port hosts passenger services to Port Blair, capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; freighter service to ports throughout India and around the world is operated by the Shipping Corporation of India.[171][173] Ferry services connect Kolkata with its twin city of Howrah, located across the Hooghly River.[174][175]
The route from North Bengal to Kolkata is set to become cheaper and more efficient for people travelling by bus. Through April 2017 to March 2018, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) will be introducing a fleet of rocket buses equipped with bio-toilets for the bus route.[176]
Healthcare
See also: Health care in Kolkata
A big building in cream colour with many columns and a portico
Calcutta Medical College, the second institution in Asia to teach modern medicine(after 'Ecole de Médicine de Pondichéry')
IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata is the largest hospital in West Bengal and one of the oldest in Kolkata.
As of 2011, the health care system in Kolkata consists of 48 government hospitals, mostly under the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, and 366 private medical establishments;[177] these establishments provide the city with 27,687 hospital beds.[177] For every 10,000 people in the city, there are 61.7 hospital beds,[178] which is higher than the national average of 9 hospital beds per 10,000.[179] Ten medical and dental colleges are located in the Kolkata metropolitan area which act as tertiary referral hospitals in the state.[180][181] The Calcutta Medical College, founded in 1835, was the first institution in Asia to teach modern medicine.[182] However, These facilities are inadequate to meet the healthcare needs of the city.[183][184][185] More than 78% in Kolkata prefer the private medical sector over the public medical sector,[117]:109 due to the poor quality of care, the lack of a nearby facility, and excessive waiting times at government facilities.[117]:61
According to the Indian 2005 National Family Health Survey, only a small proportion of Kolkata households were covered under any health scheme or health insurance.[117]:41 The total fertility rate in Kolkata was 1.4, The lowest among the eight cities surveyed.[117]:45 In Kolkata, 77% of the married women used contraceptives, which was the highest among the cities surveyed, but use of modern contraceptive methods was the lowest (46%).[117]:47 The infant mortality rate in Kolkata was 41 per 1,000 live births, and the mortality rate for children under five was 49 per 1,000 live births.[117]:48
Among the surveyed cities, Kolkata stood second (5%) for children who had not had any vaccinations under the Universal Immunization Programme as of 2005.[117]:48 Kolkata ranked second with access to an anganwadi centre under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme for 57% of the children between 0 and 71 months.[117]:51 The proportion of malnourished, anaemic and underweight children in Kolkata was less in comparison to other surveyed cities.[117]:54–55
About 18% of the men and 30% of the women in Kolkata are obese—the majority of them belonging to the non-poor strata of society.[117]:105 In 2005, Kolkata had the highest percentage (55%) among the surveyed cities of anaemic women, while 20% of the men in Kolkata were anaemic.[117]:56–57 Diseases like diabetes, asthma, goitre and other thyroid disorders were found in large numbers of people.[117]:57–59 Tropical diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya are prevalent in Kolkata, though their incidence is decreasing.[186][187] Kolkata is one of the districts in India with a high number of people with AIDS; it has been designated a district prone to high risk.[188][189]
As of 2014, because of higher air pollution, the life expectancy of a person born in the city is four years fewer than in the suburbs.[190]
Education
Kolkata's schools are run by the state government or private organisations, many of which are religious. Bengali and English are the primary languages of instruction; Urdu and Hindi are also used, particularly in central Kolkata.[191][192] Schools in Kolkata follow the "10+2+3" plan. After completing their secondary education, students typically enroll in schools that have a higher secondary facility and are affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, the ICSE, or the CBSE.[191] They usually choose a focus on liberal arts, business, or science. Vocational programs are also available.[191] Some Kolkata schools, for example La Martiniere Calcutta, Calcutta Boys' School, St. James' School (Kolkata), St. Xavier's Collegiate School, and Loreto House, have been ranked amongst the best schools in the country.[193]
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
As of 2010, the Kolkata urban agglomeration is home to 14 universities run by the state government.[194] The colleges are each affiliated with a university or institution based either in Kolkata or elsewhere in India. Aliah University which was founded in 1780 as Mohammedan College of Calcutta is the oldest post-secondary educational institution of the city.[195] The University of Calcutta, founded in 1857, is the first modern university in South Asia.[196] Presidency College, Kolkata (formerly Hindu College between 1817 and 1855), founded in 1855, was one of the oldest and most eminent colleges in India. It was affiliated with the University of Calcutta until 2010 when it was converted to Presidency University, Kolkata in 2010. Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) is the second oldest engineering institution of the country located in Howrah.[197] An Institute of National Importance, BESU was converted to India's first IIEST. Jadavpur University is known for its arts, science, and engineering faculties.[198] The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, which was the first of the Indian Institutes of Management, was established in 1961 at Joka, a locality in the south-western suburbs. Kolkata also houses the prestigious Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, which was started here in the year 2006.[199] The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences is one of India's autonomous law schools,[200][201] and the Indian Statistical Institute is a public research institute and university. State owned Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal (MAKAUT, WB), formerly West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) is the largest Technological University in terms of student enrollment and number of Institutions affiliated by it. Private institutions include the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute and University of Engineering & Management (UEM).
Notable scholars who were born, worked or studied in Kolkata include physicists Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha,[202] and Jagadish Chandra Bose;[203] chemist Prafulla Chandra Roy;[202] statisticians Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Anil Kumar Gain;[202] physician Upendranath Brahmachari;[202] educator Ashutosh Mukherjee;[204] and Nobel laureates Rabindranath Tagore,[205] C. V. Raman,[203] and Amartya Sen.[206]
Kolkata houses many premier research institutes like Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bose Institute, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) and Indian Centre for Space Physics. Nobel laureate Sir C. V. Raman did his groundbreaking work in Raman effect in IACS.
Culture
Kolkata is known for its literary, artistic, and revolutionary heritage; as the former capital of India, it was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought.[207] Kolkata has been called the "City of Furious, Creative Energy"[208] as well as the "cultural [or literary] capital of India".[209][210] The presence of paras, which are neighbourhoods that possess a strong sense of community, is characteristic of the city.[211] Typically, each para has its own community club and, on occasion, a playing field.[211] Residents engage in addas, or leisurely chats, that often take the form of freestyle intellectual conversation.[212][213] The city has a tradition of political graffiti depicting everything from outrageous slander to witty banter and limericks, caricatures, and propaganda.[214][215]
Kolkata has many buildings adorned with Indo-Islamic and Indo-Saracenic architectural motifs. Several well-maintained major buildings from the colonial period have been declared "heritage structures";[216] others are in various stages of decay.[217][218] Established in 1814 as the nation's oldest museum, the Indian Museum houses large collections that showcase Indian natural history and Indian art.[219] Marble Palace is a classic example of a European mansion that was built in the city. The Victoria Memorial, a place of interest in Kolkata, has a museum documenting the city's history. The National Library of India is the leading public library in the country while Science City is the largest science centre in the Indian subcontinent.[220]
The popularity of commercial theatres in the city has declined since the 1980s.[221]:99[222] Group theatres of Kolkata, a cultural movement that started in the 1940s contrasting with the then-popular commercial theatres, are theatres that are not professional or commercial, and are centres of various experiments in theme, content, and production;[223] group theatres use the proscenium stage to highlight socially relevant messages.[221]:99[224] Chitpur locality of the city houses multiple production companies of jatra, a tradition of folk drama popular in rural Bengal.[225][226] Kolkata is the home of the Bengali cinema industry, dubbed "Tollywood" for Tollygunj, where most of the state's film studios are located.[227] Its long tradition of art films includes globally acclaimed film directors such as Academy Award-winning director Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha, and contemporary directors such as Aparna Sen, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Goutam Ghose and Rituparno Ghosh.[228]
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Bengali literature was modernised through the works of authors such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.[229] Coupled with social reforms led by Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, and others, this constituted a major part of the Bengal Renaissance.[230] The middle and latter parts of the 20th century witnessed the arrival of post-modernism, as well as literary movements such as those espoused by the Kallol movement, hungryalists and the little magazines.[231] Large majority of publishers of the city is concentrated in and around College Street, "... a half-mile of bookshops and bookstalls spilling over onto the pavement", selling new and used books.[232]
Kalighat painting originated in 19th century Kolkata as a local style that reflected a variety of themes including mythology and quotidian life.[233] The Government College of Art and Craft, founded in 1864, has been the cradle as well as workplace of eminent artists including Abanindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, and Nandalal Bose.[234] The art college was the birthplace of the Bengal school of art that arose as an avant garde and nationalist movement reacting against the prevalent academic art styles in the early 20th century.[235][236] The Academy of Fine Arts and other art galleries hold regular art exhibitions. The city is recognised for its appreciation of Rabindra sangeet (songs written by Rabindranath Tagore) and Indian classical music, with important concerts and recitals, such as Dover Lane Music Conference, being held throughout the year; Bengali popular music, including baul folk ballads, kirtans, and Gajan festival music; and modern music, including Bengali-language adhunik songs.[237][238] Since the early 1990s, new genres have emerged, including one comprising alternative folk–rock Bengali bands.[237] Another new style, jibonmukhi gaan ("songs about life"), is based on realism.[221]:105 Key elements of Kolkata's cuisine include rice and a fish curry known as machher jhol,[239] which can be accompanied by desserts such as roshogolla, sandesh, and a sweet yoghurt known as mishti dohi. Bengal's large repertoire of seafood dishes includes various preparations of ilish, a fish that is a favourite among Calcuttans. Street foods such as beguni (fried battered eggplant slices), kati roll (flatbread roll with vegetable or chicken, mutton, or egg stuffing), phuchka (a deep-fried crêpe with tamarind sauce) and Indian Chinese cuisine from Chinatown are popular.[240][241][242][243]
Though Bengali women traditionally wear the sari, the shalwar kameez and Western attire is gaining acceptance among younger women.[244] Western-style dress has greater acceptance among men, although the traditional dhoti and kurta are seen during festivals. Durga Puja, held in September–October, is Kolkata's most important and largest festival; it is an occasion for glamorous celebrations and artistic decorations.[245][246] The Bengali New Year, known as Poila Boishak, as well as the harvest festival of Poush Parbon are among the city's other festivals; also celebrated are Kali Puja, Diwali, Holi, Jagaddhatri Puja, Saraswati Puja, Rathayatra, Janmashtami, Maha Shivratri, Vishwakarma Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Ganesh Chathurthi, Makar Sankranti, Gajan, Kalpataru Day, Bhai Phonta, Maghotsab, Eid, Muharram, Christmas, Buddha Purnima and Mahavir Jayanti. Cultural events include the Rabindra Jayanti, Independence Day(15 August), Republic Day(26 January), Kolkata Book Fair, the Dover Lane Music Festival, the Kolkata Film Festival, Nandikar's National Theatre Festival, Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally and Gandhi Jayanti.
Media
See also: Kolkata in the media and List of Bengali-language television channels
A five storied building in cream colour with multiple columns in front
Akashvani Bhawan, the head office of state-owned All India Radio, Kolkata
The first newspaper in India, the Bengal Gazette started publishing from the city in 1780.[247] Among Kolkata's widely circulated Bengali-language newspapers are Anandabazar Patrika, Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin, Aajkaal, Dainik Statesman and Ganashakti.[248] The Statesman and The Telegraph are two major English-language newspapers that are produced and published from Kolkata. Other popular English-language newspapers published and sold in Kolkata include The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Indian Express, and the Asian Age.[248] As the largest trading centre in East India, Kolkata has several high-circulation financial dailies, including The Economic Times, The Financial Express, Business Line, and Business Standard.[248][249] Vernacular newspapers, such as those in the Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Odia, Punjabi, and Chinese languages, are read by minorities.[248][103] Major periodicals based in Kolkata include Desh, Sananda, Saptahik Bartaman, Unish-Kuri, Anandalok, and Anandamela.[248] Historically, Kolkata has been the centre of the Bengali little magazine movement.[250][251]
All India Radio, the national state-owned radio broadcaster, airs several AM radio stations in the city.[252] Kolkata has 12 local radio stations broadcasting on FM, including two from AIR.[253] India's state-owned television broadcaster, Doordarshan, provides two free-to-air terrestrial channels,[254] while a mix of Bengali, Hindi, English, and other regional channels are accessible via cable subscription, direct-broadcast satellite services, or internet-based television.[255][256][257] Bengali-language 24-hour television news channels include ABP Ananda, Tara Newz, Kolkata TV, 24 Ghanta, News Time and Channel 10.[258]
Sports
See also: Football in Kolkata, Kolkata Marathon, and Kolkata derby
Salt Lake Stadium during Indian Super League opening ceremony
The most popular sports in Kolkata are football and cricket. Unlike most parts of India, the residents show significant passion for football.[259] The city is home to top national football clubs such as Mohun Bagan A.C., East Bengal F.C., Prayag United S.C., and the Mohammedan Sporting Club.[260][261] Calcutta Football League, which was started in 1898, is the oldest football league in Asia.[262] Mohun Bagan A.C., one of the oldest football clubs in Asia, is the only organisation to be dubbed a "National Club of India".[263][264] Football matches between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, dubbed as the Kolkata derby, witness large audience attendance and rivalry between patrons.[265]
A Twenty20 cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors during Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens
As in the rest of India, cricket is popular in Kolkata and is played on grounds and in streets throughout the city.[266][267] Kolkata has the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders; the Cricket Association of Bengal, which regulates cricket in West Bengal, is also based in the city. Kolkata also has an Indian Super League franchise known as Atlético de Kolkata. Tournaments, especially those involving cricket, football, badminton, and carrom, are regularly organised on an inter-locality or inter-club basis.[211] The Maidan, a vast field that serves as the city's largest park, hosts several minor football and cricket clubs and coaching institutes.[268]
Eden Gardens, which has a capacity of 68,000 as of 2017,[269] hosted the final match of the 1987 Cricket World Cup. It is home to the Bengal cricket team and the Kolkata Knight Riders.
The multi-use Salt Lake Stadium, also known as Yuva Bharati Krirangan, is India's largest stadium by seating capacity. Most matches of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup were played in the Salt Lake Stadium including both Semi-Final matches and the Final match. Kolkata also accounted for 45% of total attendance in 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup with an average of 55,345 spectators.[270] The Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in the world.[271][272]
Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium served as host of the 1981 Asian Basketball Championship, where India's national basketball team finished 5th, ahead of teams that belong to Asia's basketball elite, such as Iran. The city has three 18-hole golf courses. The oldest is at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, the first golf club built outside the United Kingdom.[273][274] The other two are located at the Tollygunge Club and at Fort William. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club hosts horse racing and polo matches.[275] The Calcutta Polo Club is considered the oldest extant polo club in the world.[276][277][278] The Calcutta Racket Club is a squash and racquet club in Kolkata. It was founded in 1793, making it one of the oldest rackets clubs in the world, and the first in the Indian subcontinent.[279][280] The Calcutta South Club is a venue for national and international tennis tournaments; it held the first grass-court national championship in 1946.[281][282] In the period 2005–2007, Sunfeast Open, a tier-III tournament on the Women's Tennis Association circuit, was held in the Netaji Indoor Stadium; it has since been discontinued.[283][284]
The Calcutta Rowing Club hosts rowing heats and training events. Kolkata, considered the leading centre of rugby union in India, gives its name to the oldest international tournament in rugby union, the Calcutta Cup.[285][286][287] The Automobile Association of Eastern India, established in 1904,[288][289] and the Bengal Motor Sports Club are involved in promoting motor sports and car rallies in Kolkata and West Bengal.[290][291] The Beighton Cup, an event organised by the Bengal Hockey Association and first played in 1895, is India's oldest field hockey tournament; it is usually held on the Mohun Bagan Ground of the Maidan.[292][293] Athletes from Kolkata include Sourav Ganguly and Pankaj Roy, who are former captains of the Indian national cricket team; Olympic tennis bronze medallist Leander Paes, golfer Arjun Atwal, and former footballers Sailen Manna, Chuni Goswami, P. K. Banerjee, and Subrata Bhattacharya.