Pugin: God's Own Architect

Also see: Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin

Admonished not to degenerate from his ancestors

"Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."-Proverbs 22:28  

"Calling to remembrance that unfeigned faith Not so much for the purpose of applauding as of exhorting Timothy, the Apostle commends both his own faith and that of his grandmother and mother; for, when one has begun well and valiantly, the progress he has made should encourage him to advance, and domestic examples are powerful excitements to urge him forward. Accordingly, he sets before him his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice by whom he had been educated from his infancy in such a manner that he might have sucked godliness along with his milk. By this godly education, therefore, Timothy is admonished not to degenerate from himself and from his ancestors."1-John Calvin

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Psalm 103

Shaped Note Singing

Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The idea behind shape notes is that the parts of a vocal work can be learned more quickly and easily if the music is printed in shapes that match up with the solfege syllables with which the notes of the musical scale are sung. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the note heads in written music to help singers find pitches within major and minor scales without the use of more complex information found in key signatures on the staff.

Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of music traditions, mostly sacred but also secular, originating in New England, practiced primarily in the Southern region of the United States for many years. Although seven-shape books may not be as popular as in the past, there are still a great number of churches in the South, in particular Primitive Baptist, Independent Fundamental Baptist, and Churches of Christ, as well as Conservative Mennonites throughout North America, that regularly use seven-shape songbooks in Sunday worship.1

Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music. Sacred Harp music is performed a capella (voice only, without instruments) and originated as Protestant Christian music. The songs sung are primarily from the book The Sacred Harp.2

Links
Sacred Harp Singing
University of Mississippi: Sacred Harp Singing
Smithsonian Education: A Shape-Note Singing Lesson
Minnesota Public Radio: Shaped Note Singing
Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Shape-Note Singing Schools

Psalm 137

Psalm 137

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: A Biography

The Spurgeon Archive

Charles Spurgeon Quotes

Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Preacher's Kids With Wild Ideas

The Code of Chivalry

Knights Code of Chivalry

To fear God and maintain His Church
To serve the liege lord in valour and faith
To protect the weak and defenceless
To give succour to widows and orphans
To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
To live by honour and for glory
To despise pecuniary reward
To fight for the welfare of all
To obey those placed in authority
To guard the honour of fellow knights
To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
To keep faith
At all times to speak the truth
To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
To respect the honour of women
Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
Never to turn the back upon a foe

The Lords Prayer in Old English

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum,
Si þin nama gehalgod. to becume þin rice,
gewurþe ðin willa, on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg, and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum.
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us of yfele.
soþlice.

Carol of the Bells

"Carol of the Bells" on handbells

The Victorian Gothic Church Interior

The Victorian Gothic Church Interior

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was Great Britain's foremost architect, designer, and theorist of design of the nineteenth century, a man with extraordinary talent, verve and perspicacity. A man who believed in himself, and harboured a passion for Gothic and the Roman Catholic Church. Best remembered for his work in the Gothic Revival style, particularly churches and the Palace of Westminster.

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin 1812-1852

Augustus Welby Pugin: An Overview