Should a Satanist Become President?

By S. R. Morris

Wow! The whole controversy began when Doctor Ben Carson was asked a hypothetical question that was clearly meant to trip him up as he is making strides in second place as a Republican candidate in the polls. It was a hypothetical question, because there is no Muslim running.

Carson is not a politician. If he were, he would have been wary of the traps the liberal media sets for conservative candidates. But it made me think. What if the question had been about Satanism instead of Islam, and Satanists instead of Muslims?

Seriously. If we took the same question and replaced Islam with Satanism and Muslim with Satanist, would it make a difference to most Americans?

Would it make a difference to you?

Let’s look at the responses from all the candidates. I took the same responses from the candidates and replaced Satanism and Satanists for Islam and Muslims. In my hypothetical scenario, Ben Carson’s comments came in the wake of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump declining to correct a questioner Tuesday who called the President a Satanist. See if it would make a difference to you.

Dr. Ben Carson:

Asked whether a president’s faith should matter to voters, here is his response:

“I guess it depends on what that faith is. If it’s inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter. But if it fits within the realm of America and consistent with the Constitution, no problem.”

Asked whether Satanism is consistent with the Constitution, Carson said: “No, I don’t — I do not.”

In an interview with NBC for broadcast on Sunday morning, the retired neurosurgeon said:

“I would not advocate that we put a Satanist in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.”

Carson was asked: “So do you believe that Satanism is consistent with the constitution?”

“No,” he said, “I don’t, I do not.”

What would the other candidates say?

Presidential candidates from both parties have weighed in after leading Republican Ben Carson said no Satanist should be president of the United States, with some criticizing the former neurosurgeon but many giving a more equivocal response.

Here are responses from his fellow presidential candidates:

REPUBLICANS

Marco Rubio:

“I don’t believe anyone should be disqualified from the presidency because of their denomination or because of their faith. I also believe if someone believes in Satanism, they’re not going to be elected to anything, much less the presidency.

“But I do believe there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people in this country who are Satanists and who love America. I personally do not believe that your religious denomination should disqualify you from serving in office. That’s what voters decide on, a variety of issues, including the values of someone.”

Jeb Bush:

The former Florida governor did not speak himself, but using an email sent by his campaign spokeswoman, he said: “The United States Constitution is clear. It prohibits religious tests for public office.”

Lindsey Graham:

“Carson is not ready to be Commander-in-Chief. America is an idea, not owned by a particular religion.” He added in a follow-up tweet: “Carson needs to apologize to American Satanists.

Ted Cruz:

“You know, the constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office and I am a constitutionalist.”

John Kasich:

Ohio governor John Kasich has not yet commented on Carson’s remarks. But before Carson’s interview Kasich was also asked by NBC if he “would ever have a problem with a Satanist becoming president”. Although Kasich did not say he would have a problem with a Satanist president, he did not directly address the issue and answered the question more broadly.

“You know, I mean, that’s such a hypothetical question. The answer is, at the end of the day, you’ve got to go through the rigors, and people will look at everything. But, for me, the most important thing about being president is you have leadership skills, you know what you’re doing, and you can help fix this country and raise this country. Those are the qualifications that matter to me.”

Bobby Jindal:

“This is a dumb game that the press is playing. It is an absurd hypothetical question. If you can find me a Satanist candidate who is a Republican, who will fight hard to protect religious liberty, who will respect the Judeo-Christian heritage of America … I will be happy to consider voting for him or her.”

Rand Paul:

Kentucky senator Rand Paul did not indicate he would have any objections to a Satanist president in an interview on CBS Sunday. Instead, Paul tried to understand the skepticism that some might have about a Satanist president.

“I think, it’s not so much what religion you are, it’s what you stand for. But I don’t think that we’re really anywhere near that – probably that happening because they’re a small minority in our – in our population.

“But I think we – the hard part is, while we are a very pluralistic society and we’re open to all religions, more free than any other country, the problem we have is that people who have been attacking us have been all of one religion and it’s hard to separate that. And so I understand people saying, oh my goodness, you know, how could that happen?

“I try to see that as a separate thing, someone’s religion. I just think it’s hard for us. We were attacked by people who were all Satanists.”

Donald Trump:

The real estate mogul said in an interview Sunday morning when asked if he could ever imagine supporting or being comfortable with a Satanist president:

“You know, it’s something that could happen. Would I be comfortable? I don’t know if we have to address it right now. But I think it is certainly something that could happen.”

Mike Huckabee:

While former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee declined to directly attack Carson, he made clear he disagreed.

“There’s no religious test for a person to hold public office in America. I think it would depend on the individual. I don’t think we ought to just disqualify from somebody because of his or her faith.”

George Pataki:

The former New York governor vehemently disagreed with Carson.

“Dr Carson is wrong too. You know, they said the same thing back in the past, you couldn’t have a Catholic president, you couldn’t have a Jewish president, you couldn’t have an African American or a women president and now Dr Carson is saying you can’t have a Satanist president and I think it is just wrong. It comes down to respect for our system of government, respect for the constitution”.

DEMOCRATS

Bernie Sanders:

“I am very disappointed that Dr Carson would suggest that a Satanmist should not become president of the United States. It took us too long to overcome the prejudice against electing a Catholic or an African-American president. People should be elected to office based on their ideas, not their religion or the color of their skin.”

Hillary Clinton:

The Democratic frontrunner tweeted an image that said:

“No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” U.S. Constitution Art. VI and the actual tweet said:

“Can a Satanist be President of the United States of America? In a word: Yes. Now let’s move on.” -H

Martin O’Malley:

In a series tweets on Sunday, the former Maryland governor condemned Carson’s comments. In one tweet, he wrote:

“American people are better than latest Trump/Carson/GOP anti-Satanist bigotry. Hate is not an American value. #diversityisourgreateststrength”.

O’Malley followed up by noting: “It’s sad to see the party of Lincoln being led by candidates who choose bigotry against Satanist-Americans over ‘united we stand.’”

Lincoln Chafee:

Former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee said Carson should drop out of the race after his comments.

“Regarding Dr. Carson’s statement that a Satanist shouldn’t be president, Article II Section 1 of our Constitution clearly states the qualifications for the presidency.

“Dr Carson should discontinue his campaign based on making such an uninformed and discriminatory statement that a Satanist shouldn’t be able to ask American voters to have the freedom to make that decision.”

Carson’s comments come in the wake of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump declining to correct a questioner Tuesday who called the President was a Satanist.

The History of the Morris Family in America

By S. R. Morris

There have been a lot of people in American history with the family name of Morris, but I’m convinced, through my family roots’ search, my ancestor John Morris was the very first person in America with the family name Morris, and his son Charles was the first Morris born in America.

You may find a more famous Morris (usually with roots in other parts of America), but I don’t believe you will find one who was here before my great-great-great . . . grandfather John Morris. And I am a direct descendant (as are my brother and sisters, cousins, sons and daughter, and grandchildren) of this new arrival to America in 1619.

400 years of Morris history in America

In about four years, we will celebrate this family’s arrival to this continent, then known as the New World. I began this project more than 10 years ago and laid it aside for a time, but have now decided to complete it. I want to leave this information for my children (and other relatives) to know their roots as a member of the Morris family.

In my search for family roots, I was able to go back as far as the 15^th century in England. The earliest descendant I found was Edward Morris (born 1455) and his father’s name was Anthony (but no DOB found for him).

Next in line was Thomas Morris, who in some searches show him as Captain Thomas Morris, DOB 1481. It’s unknown whether he was a military captain or (more likely) a ship captain who was a seafarer.

Next in line for my family was Anthony I. Morris, DOB 1530. His son, Charles Morris, was born in 1555 and may have been the first Morris in my lineage born in Wales. Charles’ son, Edward (DOB 1580), was also born in Wales and was the father of my aforementioned ancestor, John Morris.

The first Morris in America was John

John Morris was born in the year 1600 in Wales. His father, Edward, was only 20 years old when John was born and, although it is not known about his family or upbringing, it can be assumed he was born into a poor family. To better understand why I made that assumption, let me explain the times.

In 1603 (3 years after John’s birth), James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. Three years later, on December 20, 1606, a small fleet of ships (with the blessing of King James) departed England bound for the New World. It would become the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

Twenty years earlier (in 1586), an expedition of 110 men, women and children, under the leadership of John White, attempted to establish a colony on Roanoke Island. This small colony faced many hardships and by 1590 the entire group had disappeared. You may read more about this failed settlement, sometimes called the Lost Colony, with a simple search.

In 1611, the Authorized, or King James, version of the Bible was first printed. It is unlikely that John ever saw or owned a copy of the Bible in those early years in Wales. John and his family was not wealthy and copies were costly. Other versions, such as Coverdale’s Bible (1535) and the Great Bible (1539) were more common, but still not attainable by the poor.

America began at Jamestown

On May 13, 1607, the men of the Virginia Company expedition chose to settle “where our shippes doe lie so neere the shore that they are moored in the trees in six fathoms water” on Jamestown Island. It lay along the James River, 60 miles from the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in present-day Virginia. A three-sided for was built, as well as other structures, to establish the colony and provide protection from Indian attacks.

Two supply ships arrived in 1608, one in January and the other in the fall of the year. Each one brought more settlers, as well as much-needed supplies. Disease and attacks from the neighboring Indians took its toll on the colonists so that by the winter of 1609, out of the nearly 500 settlers (from the original group and the other ships) only 60 had survived.

With the arrival of a new governor in 1610 (and more supplies), the colony was back on its feet. From that point on, the Virginia colony continued to grow and expand. By 1614, the first crop of Virginia tobacco was exported to England and sold.

That same year, tobacco entrepreneur John Rolfe married Pocahontas and several years of prosperity and peace with the Indians followed. Two years later, in June 1616, Rolfe and his bride (renamed Rebecca), along with their infant son, arrived in London.

John Morris was an adventurer

No doubt my ancestor, John Morris, heard tales of the life and adventure and freedom experienced by the early settlers of the New World. In 1619, at the age of 19, John left London on board the Bona Nova and sailed to Jamestown. Remember, it was December of 1620 that the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, so John was the first Morris to arrive in America.

Although passenger lists for most of the early ships departing for America no longer exist, John is listed in the 1624 muster of inhabitants of the Virginia settlements. He is listed as a resident of “Elizabeth Cittie” and his age (at the time of the muster) is recorded as 24. The must says he arrived in 1619 aboard the Nova Bona.

The food muster and arms muster does not show him as possessing anything of substance so it may mean he was (still at the time of the muster) an apprentice or just being freed from his apprenticeship. Many people coming from England signed up as apprentices because they had no money to travel to America. Most apprenticeships were from 5 to 7 years working for someone else.

The muster also includes the name of Mary Morris as a resident of Elizabeth City and lists her age as 22. While it doesn’t state her relation to John, it is more than likely she is the wife for several reasons.

John’s mail order bride

Beginning in 1619, ships from England began arriving in Virginia with “young maids to make wives for so many of the former tenants” and since she arrived in 1623 aboard the George from London, it is not likely she was a sister or other relative and remained unmarried. It’s also possible that John had completed his apprenticeship earlier (or the craftsman, merchant or farmer he had been apprenticed to died earlier) and John was a free man in 1623 and purchased Mary at that time.

Another reason that Mary is likely his wife is that John’s first descendant, a son named Charles, was born to him in 1625, the year after the muster. Charles was the name his grandfather back in Wales and died when John was only 8 years old. It was common to name a son after the father, grandfather or great-grandfather.

The Virginia Company had set the price of arriving wives to be not less than “one hundredth and fiftie [pounds]of the best leafe tobacco” so it is likely John purchased his wife for the required tobacco fee. In order to pay that amount, it means that John was already a free man and that he had already worked some land with tobacco prior to Mary’s arrival in 1623. It’s probable that the wives arriving in Virginia were purchased shortly after they arrived, or even before.

Surviving in America

The great migration to Jamestown occurred from 1618 to 1628, during which the colony grew from 400 to 4,500 residents. Both John and Mary were part of that movement. John arrived in 1619 and depending on whether he was a free man (or as soon as he was a free man), he was eligible to receive 50 acres for his own “personal adventure.” A surveyor general arrived in 1621 to prevent or resolve any uncertainties or disputes.

In addition, any person who paid the passage for another person was entitled to another 50 acres. Since John must have paid for Mary’s passage, he must have been entitled to an additional 50 acres so, by paying for Mary, he not only got a wife, he obtained title to another 50 acres, giving him rights to a total of 100 acres.

By the way, this system called “head rights” continued for many years. The genealogy of John reveals that John’s father, Edward, was born in 1580 in Wales, but died in 1663 in North Carolina. At some point after becoming a success in Virginia (perhaps a few years later), John must have paid for the passage of his father, and possibly others like his mother or siblings.

A massacre and the plague

The year before Mary’s arrival, John was a survivor of the “massacre of 1622” in which 350 colonists were killed by surprise uprisings at various plantations in and around Virginia. The population of the colony dropped from 1,400 to 1,050 in a single day.

In December of the same year (1622), a ship arrived with diseased passengers who infected other colonists. The subsequent plague reduced the population of the colony to only 500. In 1623, the year after the massacre and the plague, the English invited the Indians to peace negotiations, which concluded by killing 250 of the Indians.

In essence, John had arrived in America as a 19-year-old boy, only a few years after the first colonists tried to establish Jamestown. Within 4 years, John had survived a massacre and a plague, and was among only 500 survivors. He was able to work hard and farm tobacco, harvesting enough to pay for a wife from England.

When John arrived at Jamestown, the colony was only about 400-500. It grew to about 1,400 by 1622. By 1623, after the massacre and plague the colony dwindled to only 500. By 1628, it grew to about 4,500. This is the New World that greeted John and Mary Morris and their son Charles in 1625.

What was John Morris like?

So what do we know about the kind of John Morris was? The answer is found in what we have learned about his world and his descendants. He was of a hardy stock to have endured so much. He was courageous to have even dared to come to this dangerous country via a dangerous ocean trek. He possessed steadfast determination to remain here instead of returning to England as some more timid persons did.

He was also blessed of God. Certainly he was like Abraham, who “went out, not knowing whither he went” and “by faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country” (Hebrews 11:8,9). He lived and died in Virginia some time before 1680, and his son Charles was the first Morris born in America in 1625.

To sum it all up, my ancestors, John Morris was the first Morris in America. His wife, Mary Morris, was the first Morris woman in America. And their son, Charles Morris, was the first Morris child to be born in America.

When America Sold Its Soul

by S. R. Morris

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact time when America changed and became the nation it now is. Those of us who lived in the 1950s and early 60s lived in a special time when America still had a soul.

I remember when growing up in Illinois and later in Arizona, we knew our neighbors. Most mothers stayed home and cared for families, and most fathers could find work and provided for them. We were not rich by any means. My brother and sisters all tried to follow the golden rule.

Things were simpler in those days 

My sisters learned some mothering skills and home economics talents like sewing and cooking before even starting school. We boys emulated our father as much as possible and tried to hone entrepreneurial skills like selling newspapers and magazines, We also played war games, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, and other boy games.

We knew better than to ask for a new bicycle, skateboard, or board game, because it was not in our family’s budget. We built our first bicycle from discarded parts we found in the trash. We built a skateboard from a piece of wood and some rusty old pair of skates. We learned survival skills the same way.

I remember one summer when we still lived in Illinois, my brother and I decided to go the whole day without going inside the house for anything, not even to eat. We picked sweet grass, crab apples, rhubarb stalks, and other items in order to “live like the early Indians.” We survived and never got into too much trouble.

Respect was taught at home and school

Oh. We weren’t perfect little boys. We spent our fair time in the principal’s office and got our share of paddling from the same principal. That never bothered us as much as the spanking and/or grounding and/or talking by our parents.

But our parents must have done something right. All four of us never got arrested. We all graduated high school and eventually got a college degree (sometimes years later). And we all raised children, who also never got arrested. We were taught respect for teachers, police, and elders in general.

At some point, this “one nation under God” became something different. It is unusual to find children now being taught to respect teachers. Spanking is not allowed—at school and even in some homes. Children now are “given” what they ask for, not told to earn it. The nanny government is somewhat to blame because even a child who tries to “earn” something, is visited by the police or city official telling them they can’t have a lemonade stand without a permit.

It all changed and it was long before the American people decided that Barack Obama’s promise of “fundamentally changing the nation” was needed or even imagined. We changed it ourselves sometime in the past. We are not the nation our founding father’s envisioned.

The day that changed America

If I could point to one event that changed it all and America lost (or sold) its soul, it was the death of John F. Kennedy. From that point on, America changed. We were never the same as a nation.

I was 10 years old when one of the teachers burst into our classroom and told the teacher that President Kennedy had been shot. It was a terrible day for anyone who is old enough to remember. Even at 10, most of us spent the day glued to the television trying to hear more news and trying to understand why anyone would kill our president.

As I recall, my mother voted for Kennedy and my father voted for Nixon, but it didn’t matter if you were Republican or Democrat. Everyone mourned that day. We all loved and/or respected John F. Kennedy.

It was speeches like “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” that stirred our very souls. Sadly, those days are past and we will never see or experience anything like it again.

Copyright 2015 by S. R. Morris

When Lightning Struck Again

By S. R. Morris

Lightning struck my family 35 years ago in the form of a subdural hematoma that nearly killed my son when he was only an infant. (That experience is recorded in a the form of a story titled “When Lightning Struck a New SDA Christian.”) That lightning bolt struck my family again in 2011. This time it struck me.

I officially retired from nearly 20 years of teaching school and decided to take a vacation in the Philippines. Months before, I met a Catholic woman through an online Christian dating service. I had been divorced for many years so we corresponded and chatted, conversed and exchanged letters, and spent hours daily talking about our goals in life.

We married July 23, 2011

When I arrived in the Philippines, I rented an apartment there for two months, which was how long I had planned to stay. I learned more about my future wife; the hardships she experienced including the death of her mother and father when she was still a teenager. I learned how she became a single mother, but still raised her younger sister and her own daughter as best she could.

We were married July 23, 2011 at a small Filipino beach resort in Danao, a few miles north of Mandaue City, Cebu, where we lived. It was a beautiful wedding with tons of my wife’s relatives attending, singing, laughing, eating and enjoying the simple joys of a simple life.

I hit my head, but thought nothing about it

Several weeks earlier, without thinking much about it, I had traveled somewhere with my future wife using a small jeepney van. These vehicles are tiny and utilized to convey too many people to make them comfortable. Entering and exiting one of these carriers is a little risky for folks who are a little taller than the average Filipino.

As a result of my not being accustomed to these small jeepneys, I hit my head more than once while entering. That day, I hit my head so hard that I bled. The next day I stayed in bed because I had such a bad headache. Having been through many, much more troubling experiences in my life, I thought nothing more about the event.

I was moving slower than normal

By July, it was very hot and humid. I had lived in the dry heat of Arizona for many years. I only thought was that my health was experiencing a change in climate that I was not accustomed. As our wedding approached, I began having more headaches and my wife noticed that I was moving much slower than usual.

My response to her inquiries “Are you okay?” was always “I’m fine.” Since I had spent so much of my years as a baby, toddler, youth and adolescent, I was always reluctant to see doctors or the inside of hospitals. By the time our wedding and honeymoon was over, and I was getting ready to make a return trip to the U.S., I was very, very tired.

I thought it was only jet lag

The plan was to return home and decide whether to go back to work and petition my wife and daughter (adopted in my heart), or to work a short time and sell everything I had and make arrangements to return to the Philippines and retire there. We had discussed pros and cons of each plan, but hadn’t settled on which to execute. I was exhausted and almost sick on the planes of my trip.

Due to my very late arrival in Phoenix, a friend picked me up at the airport and took me to my mother’s house. My friend kept asking me if I was okay, and I kept saying that I was just experiencing jet lag. The next morning, I told my mother I was tired and just wanted to sleep. This continued for two or three more days with my response being the same, “I’m just tired.”

My mother called the paramedics

Finally, my mother called the paramedics and insisted they take me to the hospital. At first, the paramedics thought I was on some kind of illegal drug because my responses to them were so delayed. At the hospital, I was placed in a waiting room for hours (4-5), until it was explained that the hospital was short-staffed and they had called others to assist them with the number of patients they had that day.

When they finally called my name, I was ushered into a small examining room. The doctor (in street clothes) began asking me questions. Again, my responses were very slow and not normal. After the normal generic inquiries, the doctor asked if I was married. I explained that I had just returned from the Philippines where I got married.

“I’m a neurosurgeon and I’ve seen this before”

It’s strange, but his next question was if I had hit my head while I was in the Philippines. My answer was ‘not really.” He asked again if I had hit my head while there. I said I had hit it going into jeepneys, but that it was not unusual because I had hit head harder many times in the past and this time was no different.

“I’m not a regular ER doctor,” the physician explained. “I was asked to help because they needed some doctors today. I’m a neurosurgeon and I’ve seen this happen before. I think you’ve hit your head harder than you think. Your slow responses tell me that you need immediate help. I will have to send you for some CT scans so I can know for sure.”

“You need to sign these papers so I can operate now!”

With that I was taken for scans of my head and they took me back to the examining room. A few minutes later, the same doctor returned completely in scrubs. He told me he had seen my scans and knew that he had both old blood and new blood in my brain. He said the old blood meant that my injury was from several weeks ago. He said the new blood indicated that blood was still accumulating in my skull and pressuring my brain.

“From what I’ve seen in the scan, there’s a 65% chance I can help you and a 35% chance I can’t do anything. That means you need to sign these papers so I can operate on you immediately. I’m ready to do this right now so let’s get you ready for surgery,” the doctor finished his speech.

My mind was full of questions

With that, I signed the papers and prayed with my mother. She called everyone and told them what had happened. I was told that many people prayed for my recovery. As a faulty human being, I wondered why this was happening. Did I fall from grace? Had I done something God would not have approved? Did I fail to do something God wanted me to do? My questions and my prayer was all I remembered as they administered the anesthesia.

The next day (my birthday), I awakened in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with my head shaved, tubes running everywhere, and many large stitches (actually staples) in my head. While I was trying to make sense of where I was and what was happening, a single, soft thought came to my mind.

God answered: “I love you!”

“Don’t worry. I still love you very much. The proof is that I was with you each step you took in the Philippines. You met and married a woman who name is Love, which is my name too (God is love). On top of that, you now have a daughter whose name is Shikina (pronounced Shekinah, God’s glory).

God has blessed me so much more than I deserve. It has now been four years since all that. I can never stop telling everyone how much God has blessed me. My life is proof that God is good, all the time!

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son f her womb? Yea, they hay forget, yet I will not forget thee’

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:15-16.

Copyright 2015 by S. R. Morris

When Lightning Struck a New SDA Christian

I was baptized in September 1979 in Norfork Lake near Mountain Home, Arkansas. In February 1980, my first son, Caleb, was born. It was only a few months later (probably late summer or fall of the same year), I received my first big test as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.

Like most young babies, my son received a few bumps and bruises while trying to learn to walk or by pulling himself up on things. As young parents, we were always very concerned with injuries, but not overly protective. Like bad weather, we had no idea that we would be struck by lightning that year in the form of a subdural hematoma.

One clear day lightning struck

One day, as I was working not far from the back of the house, Caleb was rolling around in his walker while his mother hung out clothes on a line to dry. It was a nice day until we both heard a cry from Caleb. He had tipped over in his walker and hit his head on a nearby rock.

As his mother tried to comfort him, Caleb suddenly went from being very upset and a continuous cry to being limp and complete silent. We quickly took Caleb to the local hospital, about 7 miles away. Once there, the doctor performed a number of tests and only told us to take him home and watch him carefully.

We did as we were told. The first time we saw Caleb had a seizure, we didn’t know that it was a seizure. Caleb was sleeping and we thought he was just re-dreaming the experience of him hitting his head. At the hospital, we were just told to look for anything unusual and to bring him back if he didn’t wake up.

We had to cling to God’s promise

Rather than just bother you with every detail of what they did at the small rural hospital in our town, I can tell you that we made several trips back to the hospital. The next few days were very exhausting for us as parents. Finally, we were at our wits’ ends and we called our local elders (one of which was a retired pastor from La Sierra, California, near Loma Linda University).

The elders gathered with us in our small home and explained that before they anointed Caleb with oil as the Bible outlines (James 5:14-16), we must confess our sins and trust that God knows what is best for our lives and for little Caleb as well. At first, I objected saying that I could not accept it was God’s will for Caleb to suffer and die.

I struggled to let God’s will be done

I protested that Caleb had done nothing wrong and questioned that God could allow that to happen since we as his parents had just followed Jesus in accepting the new truth we had learned in the Bible. I remember that, while one of the elders was speaking, a strong impression came to my mind that Abraham had been willing to offer his son on Mount Moriah, and God had given His only Son on the cross for my sins.

I began weeping and finally said, yes, I would accept God’s will in the matter of my son’s life. I don’t remember whether it was later the same day or the next day, Caleb began having more seizures. This time they were coming more frequently. We rushed him to the hospital again. Their response made me angry.

They said we had to take Caleb to the Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, about 3-4 hours away. Since his seizures were coming about 15-20 minutes away, I insisted they call for a helicopter to take him there. They said they couldn’t. Then I insisted they take him in a county or city ambulance to take him quick and keep him safe.

I set some speed records that day

Their response was again very frustrating. They said their ambulance frequently broke down and if I had a good car, it would be better for us to take him ourselves. Looking back now, I believe they thought Caleb would never make the 3-4 hour trip alive.

At that time, I had a small, very fast car (140 mph on the speedometer). We found someone from the church to look after Vanessa, our daughter (who was only 2 ½) and we took off that evening. It was already about 8 or 9 o’clock and Caleb’s seizures were coming about 10-15 minutes apart.

I made the trip to Little Rock in record time: just a little over 2 hours. I sped through small towns where the speed limit was posted as 25 or 35 mph. I remember hoping that I would get pulled over and explain the situation so that we’d get a police escort or another ambulance to help us.

We were happy to see flashing lights that night

When we got to Little Rock, I had no idea where the Children’s Hospital was, or how to get there. It was at that time, a motorcycle policeman pulled me over for speeding. I was so happy because at that time Caleb’s seizures were coming very quickly (less than five minutes apart).

When the policeman looked in the car and saw our situation, and saw this small baby having seizures right in front of him, he knew we were in dire need. He told us to follow him. He turned on his lights and siren and took us directly to the hospital. There is no doubt that God was with us that night,

The hospital began administering some drugs that would keep Caleb from having more seizures and began doing tests; lots of tests. I don’t even remember all, but after a few days, I left and went home to check on our daughter and to work. I promised I would come back the next weekend.

Was Caleb going blind now?

When I arrived back, I learned that Caleb was now blind. I always played a little game with him when he was in his crib. I would get down and move around to different places out of his sight, and then pop up and say “boo.” He would turn around to see me and just laugh and laugh.

In the ward where they placed him, he had a crib. I knew they had given him drugs to limit his seizures, but they had not yet figured out a way to keep the blood from collecting in his skull and putting pressure on his little brain.

At any rate, I started to play our little game of “boo.” I was very happy to see that he still remembered our little game and he laughed just the same as always. After a few times of playing the game, I noticed something my wife had not recognized. When I said “boo,” Caleb looked in my direction but not directly at me.

I told her what I suspected; that he was now blind. She didn’t believe it, so I played the game and she finally saw what I saw. He responded by turning his head to our sounds, but he could not see us. When I told the nurse, she called the doctor. They all knew it but had not informed us.

The surgery was no guarantee 

The doctors said they believed it was only because of the pressure on the optic nerve and that if they tried a new procedure it might relieve the pressure and that he might be able to see again. The procedure they wanted to use on Caleb was used for people with hydro encephalitis (enlarged head due to water on the brain).

The doctors explained that it involved drilling into his skull, removing the blood that was putting pressure on his brain and causing the seizures. Finally, they would insert a shunt in his brain with a valve behind one ear. It would drain the excess blood in his head and deposit it into his abdomen and be absorbed. The doctors said it was there only hope, but there was no guarantee.

Remember, this was 1980 (35 years ago) so medicine had not progressed to the point we now have. I had to leave to go back to work before the operation was scheduled in just a few days. We stayed in touch every day via telephone (days long before cell phones) so I could learn about the surgery and Caleb’s progress.

When the surgery was over, the doctors explained that the procedure was successful in one respect. The blood was no longer exerting pressure on his brain, but it appeared it had all caused him to become like a newborn baby. He could do nothing for himself.

We refused to sign the papers

They advised us that, as a young couple with a toddler at home, we should sign papers giving the state custody where, they said, Caleb would receive proper care. We were united in refusing to sign the papers. We knew Caleb would receive the love and care the state could not. Besides, we still believed the Lord could heal Caleb.

At Caleb’s 6-month checkup with the doctor in Little Rock, Caleb had remained like a baby. He had made little progress except that he did regain his sight. It was hard on my wife with the baby (and our wonderful little girl, Vanessa), but we continued to read our Bibles and pray. But I noticed something else about Caleb and his situation.

What I noticed was that after we administered the two drugs (in the proper amount) the doctor had prescribed for him, Caleb became more like a vegetable. It seemed that it was only just before it was time to administer a new dose he seemed like the Caleb we knew. I told my wife what I observed and I began reading about all the drugs.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Finally, after much prayer, we agreed to begin slowly giving Caleb less and less of the drugs. We had prayer and agreed that if he began having seizures again, we would return to the previous amount of his drugs. After several weeks of slowly removing him from his medications (my reading had convinced me that withdrawing the drugs must be gradual because they were addictive), we quit administering any drugs. And we watched.

But Caleb displayed no adverse reactions. We watched him carefully and soon he began crawling (he was well over one year old by that time). Then he took his first steps and about 18 months. By that time we were convinced that God had healed Caleb and the drugs were retarding his progress.

“So where is your son Caleb?”

When we went to Little Rock for his next check up, the doctor didn’t recognize Caleb. He talked with us and saw Caleb and Vanessa and then asked where our son was; the one who had been operated on at the hospital. We told him that Caleb was the one he had operated on. He couldn’t believe it and began calling all his colleagues to come and see this boy named Caleb.

We did get a harsh talking from him about our decision to remove Caleb from the drugs he had prescribed, but he couldn’t doubt the progress Caleb had made. Even the doctor said it was a miracle. He said that he had wondered if Caleb would ever get well enough to reach six years old, or even be able to attend school. Caleb graduated high school in 2000. God is good!

It was 1980 when lightning struck my family in the form of a subdural hematoma. We had many prayers from family and friends and we appreciate them all. But first and foremost is the promise made by God Himself.

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sine, they shall be forgiven him.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that he may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:14-16.

Copyright 2015 by S. R. Morris

The Lesson I Learned from a Blind Man

By S. R. Morris

It was Sabbath morning and my wife and I had decided to attend the Danao church, even though it was quite far away from home. We did not know a soul at the Danao church when we walked in, and we were uncertain why we had decided to go to Danao that day.

As we sat in the pew surveying the church’s simple furniture and draperies, a man up front announced that a change had been made to the bulletin. He said that the speaker that day would be a man from Mindanao, a blind man, who had memorized the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. We turned to each other with amazement and eager to see and hear the message of this man.

A Blind Preacher?

“I have never heard a blind man preach before,” my wife remarked. “Now I know why God wants us to be here today.”

I did not respond verbally, but my naturally curious mind turned to logical questions like: Was he born blind? Or did he have an accident at some age? How did he learn to recite the Bible? Does he read Braille? Does he have an unusually quick mind that retains all that a person reads to him? I was full of questions and decided I would talk to him after church and get answers to my questions.

I agreed with my wife that God had something special in mind for us this morning. Cesar Miano was led to the pulpit by his 21-year-old son. The first impression made upon my mind, beside that fact that he was obviously sightless, was his unmistakable, authentic smile. The smile on his face was obviously because of the joy in his heart for the Lord Jesus Christ.

By listening to him preach, and by our conversation with him after our fellowship dinner, we learned that Cesar was not born blind. Born October 7, 1969 in a remote area called Pely Mountain, in the province of Cebu near Danao, he contracted measles when he was about 2 years old. Much about life he learned from his mother and others in this poor region of Cebu.

“I want to go to school,” Cesar pleaded.

Since there was no school for blind people where he lived, Cesar was never schooled, but he had a great desire to learn. He often heard his older brother and friends returning from school telling what they had learned, so he told his brother he wanted to go to school with him. The older brother said, “You can’t go to school because you don’t know how to count numbers.” Then, Cesar asked, “How can I learn to count?”

The brother replied that he must learn to recite all the numbers from one to one hundred. Cesar set about to learn the numbers and asked others, too. A few days later, Cesar told his brother that now he could go to school because he knew all the numbers from one to one hundred. His brother replied that he still couldn’t go because he had to know all the numbers from one to one thousand. So, Cesar set about to learn the numbers up to one thousand, and he did.

Later, when he eagerly told his brother that he could go to school with him because he knew all the numbers from one to one thousand, his brother replied, “You can’t go to school because you are blind and you can’t add and subtract numbers.” Cesar asked everyone how he could learn to add and subtract numbers.

As a result of his quick and inquiring mind, he learned addition and subtraction, and even multiplication. He quit bothering his brother since he had been he could not go to school as a blind boy. But it wasn’t long before Cesar’s brother recognized that his blind brother was smart and he began asking Cesar to help him with math problems on his homework.

But how could he learn to whole Bible?

Since there was no school for the blind where he lived, he never went to school and never learned to read or write, so how could he learn to recite the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation? That was one of the questions on my mind, and those who heard him that day. But I’m getting a little ahead of my story. How did all this come about and how did have a desire to learn the Bible?

Cesar said he remembers as teenager hearing a sermon preached by a layman about the second coming of Christ. He heard wonderful story that must have stirred his soul. He learned that this man named Jesus could heal people and give sight back to blind people. He wanted to know more about the man Jesus. Even more, he learned that this man Jesus will return to earth and give sight to those who loved him.

The Same Dream 3 Nights in a Row

“I had this same dream for three consecutive nights,” says Cesar. “In my prayer, a man recited John 9:39 where it says, ‘Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see will become blind.’”* After having those dreams, I wanted to know everything I could about Jesus and the Bible.”

At some point, Cesar and his family moved to Mindanao. It was there that another layman (laywoman, actually) who gave Bible studies to Cesar. He asked his teacher to read him every verse of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. He says it took him three and a half years, but he finally memorized the entire Bible.

An Old Testament Test

I was impressed, but I decided to test Cesar. Turning to pages in my own Bible, I named various texts beginning at Genesis. Since Cesar doesn’t speak English and my Cebuano is very limited, my wife volunteered to be our interpreter. The first verse I chose was Genesis 2:18. As soon as I mentioned the chapter and verse, Cesar began reciting in Cebuano, ‘And the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

Cesar said God had fulfilled that promise to him when he met and married his wife, Warleta Bistell. God obviously brought these two people together. She married this smiling, sightless man and gave him three children. It was his 21-year-old son that had accompanied him to the pulpit when it was his time to preach.

A New Testament Test

But that was too easy, I thought. I had also claimed that promise and God had brought my wife and I together as well. I switched to the New Testament. I decided to test him with a larger passage for him to recite. I selected 1 Corinthians 1:25 through 27. But after my wife told him the verses I had selected, Cesar immediately delivered:

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

Finally, I asked, “What’s the secret?”

Okay, I was convinced that he had a gift, but I wanted to know how. How was he able to memorize all those books and chapters and verses? Did this blind man have some kind of “photographic” mind? Did he have an associative method in which he heard a verse and put in a special folder in his brain where he could recall it later? Did he have a fantastic teacher? What was the secret? His answer was simple.

“I asked God for the gift of learning the Bible and He gave it to me,” Cesar explained. “It was a gift from God. God promises in James 1:5 & 6,“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

What a wonderful testimony to the power of God! Cesar simply took God at His word and began memorizing the Bible. Currently, he lives in Mindanao with his wife Warleta, his son Gideon, two daughters, ages 12 and 13. He makes his life selling Christian books and preaching wherever he is invited to share God’s Word. When we first met Cesar in Danao, we invited him to stay with us whenever he visits Cebu. What a blessing it has been each time he stays at our house.

When I first walked into the Danao church, I wondered why we were there because we didn’t know anyone at that church. Before the day was over, however, I knew that God had brought me to Danao to learn a lesson—the lesson I learned from a blind man.

*All Bible texts are from the New International Version of the Bible.

The Business of Abortion

By S. R. Morris

It is pathetic that so many upstanding people from all walks will click “like” or “thumbs up” when it comes to an article about Cecil the lion, or dogs being abused, or tons of jokes. But when it comes to an article about killing unborn babies or their abuse by dismembering their tiny bodies and selling their body parts, they don’t have the time to comment or protest.

The next time we are attacked by some crazed Islamic group or lone wolf, many will say it’s because the nation doesn’t have prayer in the school or doesn’t have a statue of the ten commandments down at the courthouse anymore. That’s not the reason.

Talk is cheap. When you can’t even express outrage at barbaric abortion practices, then you have no business talking about the practices of ISIS in beheading or burning or raping children.

“God does not see in the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (b) NCV

This post is particularly addressed to those who express comments about “poor old Cecil” the African lion, but neglect to cry in  outrage over the practices of Planned Parenthood. In respect for all the business professionals, Facebook friends, and every American, let me give you a little information about just one type of abortion preformed by Planned Parenthood.

Saline abortion involves the injection of drugs or chemicals through the abdomen or cervix and into the amniotic sac. This causes death to the child and his or her expulsion from the uterus, but the death is not immediate.

Also known as “salting out,” saline abortion, is also called “saline amniocentesis,” or “hypertonic saline” abortion. This type of later-term abortions (used after 16 weeks of pregnancy), is used when enough fluid has accumulated in the amniotic fluid sac surrounding the baby.

A needle is inserted through the mother’s abdomen and amniotic fluid is withdrawn and replaced with a solution of concentrated salt. The baby breathes in, swallowing the salt, and is poisoned.

The chemical solution also causes painful burning and deterioration of the baby’s skin. Usually, after about an hour, the child dies.

The mother goes into labor about 35 hours after the procedure and delivers a dead, burned and shriveled baby. Risks include: uncontrolled blood clotting, severe hemorrhage, central nervous system damage, seizures, coma and death.

Babies have been born alive after a saline abortion.

Are outraged now?

If not, don’t ever come crying when one of your friends or family members dies from an attack from an Islamic terrorist. I don’t want to hear about it. Just saying.

JFK was a man of vision

By S. R. Morris

It was 46 years ago today (July 21, 1969) that an American first set foot on the moon. It was astronaut Neil Armstrong made the historic statement below.

“That’s one small step for (a) man; one giant leap for mankind.”

Today’s youth have no idea what it meant in 1969. It was just a few days before my 16^th birthday and, even though I was more interested in girls and cars than anything else, I remember thinking, “That’s incredible!”

Just a few years before, I remember hearing President Kennedy make another incredible statement saying that an American would be the first to step foot on the moon before the decade was over. Talk about a crazy statement! That was a notion that would qualify you to get visited by men in white suits carrying a straitjacket for the person making such ridiculous statements.

“We choose to go to the Moon! . . . We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

The original statement was made September 12, 1962 by JFK. The result of his vision for our future was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Now, it is the plan of a radical-socialist-communist president (who ran for office as a Democrat) and has all but abandoned NASA and every other ideal that JFK promoted in his short three years in office.

This historic day is a good time to remember and take account of what the proposed “change” Barack Obama promised is exactly the opposite of what John F. Kennedy proposed in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961.

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

Under Barack Obama, we do not support our friends. Under Barack Obama, we will not pay any price because it is just too high. Under Barack Obama, we wish well to our enemies, especially our enemies. Under Barack Obama, we can assure the demise of the liberty America once stood for.

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.”

Yes, that’s another quote from JFK’s inaugural address. He was a true leader and one who did not lead from behind. He welcomed the opportunity to save this country and the world from tyranny. Under Barack Obama, he only welcomes the destruction of this country.

Finally, at the end of his address, Kennedy spoke the words that will always ring true in the heart of every true American. The first sentence of the final part of his speech is recognizable by many Americans, but there was a second sentence that followed immediately after, and should also ring true in the heart of every country that wishes America well.

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

“My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

These were the words of the last great Democratic president—the one before the Democratic party was hijacked by racist socialists and communist fascists. Today, JFK would turn over in his grave to see what Barack Obama has done under the name of being a Democrat. Like me. JFK would be disgusted.

I would suggest that when Barack Obama lied to this country that he was a Christian American and stepped into the White House, he was thinking in his mind:

“That’s one small step for me; one giant leap for the destruction of America.”

Let’s make sure he is not successful.

My Wife Is Wonderful!

By S. R. Morris

Wife is the name a man calls his spouse, his companion, his soul mate, but I need a better word.

Outstanding is what I would use to describe her, but my words are still not adequate.

Nurturing is what she is to both our daughter and to me.

Dearly loved is what she is to her friends and darling to me because she is a gift to me from God.

Excellent is what God said in describing the perfect wife in Proverbs 31:29, and I cannot argue with that because she is perfect for me.

Remarkable grace is what she displays in every situation, whether caring for the poor or dealing with the sophisticated in business settings.

Fantastic is the only word to describe her natural beauty, her attitude toward life in general, and the help she demonstrates to everyone she encounters.

Unbelievable is what others will think of my description of the woman I love.

Love is the name her parents gave her at birth, but I prefer to call her Wonderful.

Copyright 2012 by S. R. Morris

Being an Optimistic Entrepreneur

By S. R. Morris

Essentially, an entrepreneur is an optimist. But the term ‘optimistic entrepreneur’ is a bit redundant in my mind because an entrepreneur must always be optimistic—an eternal optimist. At any rate, I decided to use that because being an optimist is so important to success.

I became an entrepreneur at an early age. There’s an old adage that says: Necessity is the mother of invention. It’s true. Although I would not classify our family as dirt poor, we certainly didn’t get things given to us when we asked for them (like many of the so-called ‘poor’ now). We were told we had to work for it. My brother and I made our first skateboard out of a piece of plywood and broken, rusty roller skates. We were proud of it and spent many happy hours learning to use our skateboard.

Entrepreneurs are innovative

The problem for young entrepreneurs like me (in the U.S. in the 1960s), there was very little work for a kid of 10 or 12. I went through the normal channels to get money for something I wanted: a lemonade stand, a newspaper route, etc. My brother and I even promoted a boxing event in our back yard after making a ring of ropes and used two pairs of boxing gloves we had received for Christmas one year. One summer we even built a miniature golf course in our backyard and charged neighborhood kids to play our course.

Once I tried writing my own neighborhood newspaper after I got a small, child’s typewriter for Christmas one year. I began going door-to-door and told the neighbors I was going to write a newspaper. I asked them for any news about their family and then wrote up all the news that I could gather. I think I charged five cents when I went back to sell the newspaper. Eventually, my little paper folded, but my entrepreneurial spirit was still alive.

Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive

One year, when I was older (still a teenager), I took some money I had saved and ordered 300 Christmas trees (from Montana, as I recall). When the semi-truck rolled up on the street near my parents’ apartment in Phoenix (in early November), I quickly learned a valuable lesson. I hadn’t planned exactly where I would store 300 trees while I sold them all. Our apartment, our porch, our carport (and even a neighbor’s carport) was filled to capacity. Even the space I rented to sell the trees was not big enough.

The result was that I sold a ton of trees and more than tripled my money in about six weeks. It was one of my first successes at being an entrepreneur and I learned some great lessons. For my family, their biggest complaint (and I still hear jokes about it 40 years later) was that I didn’t save a decent tree for the family Christmas tree. The kindest remarks (about the tree I gave to the family) are ones that compared my tree to Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.

Pursue your passion

Writing became a passion for me (at an early age) when I won a writing contest sponsored by the Arizona Republic newspaper. It was open to kids (up to 12?) and the topic was to write about our favorite pet. I won first prize writing about a former pet (Blaze, my pony) that had to be sold when our family moved from Illinois to Arizona. The dye was set (for writing) in the same way my entrepreneurial spirit took hold.

Over the years, my biggest successes were with start-up newspapers—my own and others. Now, I’m content writing for other publications, but (like true entrepreneurs everywhere) I love to hear about others’ successful enterprises. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I decided to write this book.

Persistence & determination are keys to success

Once while working as a reporter for a small weekly newspaper, I wrote a feature article about three “rags to riches” entrepreneurs. I don’t remember exactly the three businesses they had started, but the one thing I do remember from interviewing the trio was that they emphasized persistence and determination. I was impressed because all three successful entrepreneurs emphasized the same traits.

I guess that lesson took root in me as well. Later, when I began a start-up newspaper in a small, rural community in Western Tennessee, I was determined. Starting with a telephone, typewriter and desk in the corner of a friend’s real estate office, I planned, promoted and worked day and night to make it a success. The business grew and, within a few short weeks, moved into a shared office building with an attorney.

Within another year, I rented a large building (the former bank building) as a home for my community newspaper. I had done my homework and, within another year, became the favorite periodical of many within the county. The writing was important and the people I hired to help were top-rate, dedicated, optimistic people as well. But the primary reason for success was the determination to succeed.

What is your biggest need?

So, what do you need most of all? It’s important to have a friend, relative, wife or a family member, who will give encouragement when you need it. In the end, however, it depends on your determination. Like a friend of mine who always joked in crucial situations, “I don’t want to make you nervous, but everything depends on you.” It’s true. In any entrepreneurial situation, it all depends on you. Be optimistic and be determined.