The Sequoia Farm: 2009

Christ on the Outskirts

Georges Rouault's painting Christ on the Outskirts, via Makoto Fujimura:

"Christians and 'christianists'"

Rémi Brague:

What is called "Christian civilization" is no other than the ensemble of collateral effects which faith in Christ has produced on the civilizations it has encountered along the way. When His resurrection is believed in, and the possibility of the resurrection of every man in Him, everything is seen in a different way, and one acts in consequence of that, in all spheres. But a great deal of time is needed to become aware of this and make it concrete. For that reason we are, perhaps, only at the beginning of Christianity.

Read the interview...

"British Columbian English and Pacific Northwest English have several words still in current use which are loanwords from the Chinook Jargon, which was widely spoken throughout the Pacific Northwest by all ethnicities well into the middle of the 20th century. These words tend to be shared with, but are not as common in, the states of Oregon, Washington, Alaska and, to a lesser degree, Idaho and western Montana."

Plurality of Elders

Daniel Wallace:

The case for plurality of elders can be argued along four lines: biblical, historical, theological, and pragmatic. At bottom, I would say that the reason the scriptures teach multiple eldership is at least twofold: (1) mutual accountability is necessary if leaders are to avoid falling into sin; and (2) a church takes on the personality of its leaders: if there is just one leader, the church will inevitably take on that man's personality, including his quirks and faults. But if more than one person leads the church, there is the greater chance that the church will be balanced.

Entire article...

Tolkien: "English and Welsh"

J.R.R. Tolkien:

Mr. C. S. Lewis, addressing students of literature, has asserted that the man who does not know Old English literature 'remains all his life a child among real students of English'. I would say to the English philologists that those who have no ﬁrst-hand acquaintance with Welsh and its philology lack an experience necessary to their business. As necessary, if not so obviously and immediately useful, as a knowledge of Norse or French.

Read the essay (PDF)...

English as She Is Spoke

So, it's the 1880s, and your friend is making money with his Portuguese guide to the French language. Why not just grab a French-English dictionary, flip the French phrases into English, then sell the result as a guide to English for Portuguese speakers? From the book:

Familiar Phrases

Go to send for.

Have you say that?

Have you understand that he says?

Put your confidence at my.

At what o'clock dine him?

Dress your hairs.

and

Here is a horse who have a bad looks. He not sall know to march, he is pursy, he is foundered. Don't you are ashamed to give me a jade as like? he is undshoed, he is with nails up; it want to lead to the farrier.

Poor horse. Read it for yourself...