The Christian missionary may preach the gospel to the poor naked heathen, but the spiritual heathen who populate Europe have as yet heard nothing of Christianity.
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The Song of the Strange Ascetic
If I had been a heathen,
I'd have praised the purple vine,
My slaves should dig the vineyards,
And I would drink the wine;
But Higgins is a heathen,
And his slaves grow lean and grey,
That he may drink some tepid milk
Exactly twice a day.
If I had been a heathen,
I'd have crowned Neaera's curls,
And filled my life with love affairs,
My house with dancing girls;
But Higgins is a heathen,
And to lecture rooms is forced,
Where his aunts, who are not married,
Demand to be divorced.
If I had been a heathen,
I'd have sent my armies forth,
And dragged behind my chariots
The Chieftains of the North;
But Higgins is a heathen,
And he drives the dreary quill,
To lend the poor that funny cash
That makes them poorer still.
If I had been a heathen,
I'd have piled my pyre on high,
And in a great red whirlwind
Gone roaring to the sky;
But Higgins is a heathen,
And a richer man than I:
And they put him in an oven,
Just as if he were a pie.
Now who that runs can read it,
The riddle that I write,
Of why this poor old sinner
Should sin without delight;
But I, I cannot read it
(Although I run and run),
Of them that do not have the faith,
And will not have the fun.
poem by G.K. Chesterton (1913)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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The Song of the Strange Ascetic
If I had been a Heathen,
I'd have praised the purple vine,
My slaves should dig the vineyards,
And I would drink the wine.
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And his slaves grow lean and grey,
That he may drink some tepid milk
Exactly twice a day.
If I had been a Heathen,
I'd have crowned Neaera's curls,
And filled my life with love affairs,
My house with dancing girls;
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And to lecture rooms is forced,
Where his aunts, who are not married,
Demand to be divorced.
If I had been a Heathen,
I'd have sent my armies forth,
And dragged behind my chariots
The Chieftains of the North.
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And he drives the dreary quill,
To lend the poor that funny cash
That makes them poorer still.
If I had been a Heathen,
I'd have piled my pyre on high,
And in a great red whirlwind
Gone roaring to the sky;
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And a richer man than I:
And they put him in an oven,
Just as if he were a pie.
Now who that runs can read it,
The riddle that I write,
Of why this poor old sinner,
Should sin without delight-
But I, I cannot read it
(Although I run and run),
Of them that do not have the faith,
And will not have the fun.
poem by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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If we allow the consideration of heathen morality and heathen religion to absolve us from the duty of preaching the gospel we are really deposing Christ from His throne in our own souls.
quote by Roland Allen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Who Is A Christian?
Who is a Christian in this Christian land
Of many churches and of lofty spires?
Not he who sits in soft upholstered pews
Bought by the profits of unholy greed,
And looks devotion, while he thinks of gain.
Not he who sends petitions from the lips
That lie to-morrow in the street and mart.
Not he who fattens on another's toil,
And flings his unearned riches to the poor,
Or aids the heathen with a lessened wage,
And builds cathedrals with an increased rent.
Christ, with Thy great, sweet, simple creed of love,
How must Thou weary of Earth's 'Christian' clans,
Who preach salvation through Thy saving blood
While planning slaughter of their fellow men.
Who is a Christian? It is one whose life
Is built on love, on kindness and on faith;
Who holds his brother as his other self;
Who toils for justice, equity and PEACE,
And hides no aim or purpose in his heart
That will not chord with universal good.
Though he be pagan, heretic or Jew,
That man is Christian and beloved of Christ.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Lo And Behold
Lonely by day
Empty and cold
Only to say
Lo and behold
Deep in the night
Down in my dreams
Glorious sight
This soul has seen
There's a well on the hill
You just can't kill for Jesus
There's a well on the hill
Let it be
I don't build no heathen temples
Where the Lord has done laid his hand
There's a well on the hill
Let it be
Everyone's talking 'bout the gospel story
Some shall sink and some shall rise
Everyone's talking 'bout the train to glory
Long, long time 'til it gets here to you, baby
There's a well on the hill
You just can't kill for Jesus
There's a well on the hill
Let it be
I don't build no heathen temples
Where the Lord has done laid a hand
There's a well on the hill
Let it be
song performed by by James Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lo & Behold
Lonely by day
Empty and cold
Only to say
Lo and behold
Deep in the night
Down in my dreams
Glorious sight
This soul has seen
Theres a well on the hill
You just cant kill for jesus
Theres a well on the hill
Let it be
I dont build no heathen temples
Where the lord has done laid his hand
Theres a well on the hill
Let it be
Everyones talking bout the gospel story
Some shall sink and some shall rise
Everyones talking bout the train to glory
Long, long time til it gets here to you, baby
Theres a well on the hill
You just cant kill for jesus
Theres a well on the hill
Let it be
I dont build no heathen temples
Where the lord has done laid a hand
Theres a well on the hill
Let it be
song performed by by James Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Heathen
i am a heathen
walking among the heathen.
i am at home
with the wounded,
the bruised, the troubled,
those who wear their scars
for all the world to see.
i know the darkness
as well as the light....
the darkness around us,
the darkness within me....
and i know that tiny spark
of light... that lies within
the mistake made....
that lies beneath the tears
and fears of the soul oppressed....
that reaches out hand for hand
in the sea of human struggling!
poem by Eric Cockrell
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Happy Heathen: (With limited apologies to G.K.C.)
The heathen's not efficient;
He sits down in the sun
And doesn't care a tuppn'y dump
When the day's work's begun.
He works to eat and eats to live,
All day he'll dance and sing;
And if you mention overtime
He laughs like anything.
But we are most efficient!
And, goodness! Look at us!
Our nights are filled with restless dreams,
Our days with fret and fuss.
And we can have depressions
And modern things like that,
And monoplanes and motor cars
And trousers and a hat.
The heathen's not efficient;
He does not value gold;
And when we'd teach him of its worth
He simply won't be told.
He'll hang gold coins about his neck
For foolish ornament,
While half a bread-fruit or a ham
Bring him complete content.
Oh, we are most efficient;
We'd pile up heaps of gold
And leave it to ungrateful heirs
When we descend to mould.
But the heathen's not efficient;
He is lazy, free, unkempt,
And from the highly civilized
Earns nothing but contempt.
poem by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis
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The Christian cannot be satisfied so long as any human activity is either opposed to Christianity or out of connection with Christianity. Christianity must pervade not merely all nations but also all of human thought.
quote by J. Gresham Machen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All the modern christian churches have no more authority to preach, baptize, or administer any other ordinance of the gospel than the idolatrous Hindoos have.
quote by Orson Pratt
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It is not necessary to argue to those for whom I write that the two great needs of mankind, that all men may be lifted up into the light of the highest Christian civilization, are, first, a pure, spiritual Christianity, and second, civil liberty.
quote by Josiah Strong
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tales Of A Wayside Inn : Part 1. The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf X. -- Raud The Strong
'All the old gods are dead,
All the wild warlocks fled;
But the White Christ lives and reigns,
And throughout my wide domains
His Gospel shall be spread!'
On the Evangelists
Thus swore King Olaf.
But still in dreams of the night
Beheld he the crimson light,
And heard the voice that defied
Him who was crucified,
And challenged him to the fight.
To Sigurd the Bishop
King Olaf confessed it.
And Sigurd the Bishop said,
'The old gods are not dead,
For the great Thor still reigns,
And among the Jarls and Thanes
The old witchcraft still is spread.'
Thus to King Olaf
Said Sigurd the Bishop.
'Far north in the Salten Fiord,
By rapine, fire, and sword,
Lives the Viking, Raud the Strong;
All the Godoe Isles belong
To him and his heathen horde.'
Thus went on speaking
Sigurd the Bishop.
'A warlock, a wizard is he,
And lord of the wind and the sea;
And whichever way he sails,
He has ever favoring gales,
By his craft in sorcery.'
Here the sign of the cross
Made devoutly King Olaf.
'With rites that we both abhor,
He worships Odin and Thor;
So it cannot yet be said,
That all the old gods are dead,
And the warlocks are no more,'
Flushing with anger
Said Sigurd the Bishop.
Then King Olaf cried aloud:
'I will talk with this mighty Raud,
And along the Salten Fiord
Preach the Gospel with my sword,
Or be brought back in my shroud!'
So northward from Drontheim
Sailed King Olaf!
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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The Slave-Auction--A Fact
Why stands she near the auction stand,
That girl so young and fair;
What brings her to this dismal place,
Why stands she weeping there?
Why does she raise that bitter cry?
Why hangs her head with shame,
As now the auctioneer's rough voice,
So rudely calls her name?
But see! she grasps a manly hand,
And in a voice so low,
As scarcely to be heard, she says,
'My brother, must I go?'
A moment's pause: then midst a wail
Of agonizing woe,
His answer falls upon the ear,
'Yes, sister, you must go!'
'No longer can my arm defend,
No longer can I save
My sister from the horrid fate
That waits her as a SLAVE!'
Ah! now I know why she is there,
She came there to be sold!
That lovely form, that noble mind,
Must be exchanged for gold!
O God! my every heart-string cries,
Dost thou these scenes behold
In this our boasted Christian land,
And must the truth be told?
Blush, Christian, blush! for e'en the dark
Untutored heathen see
Thy inconsistency, and lo!
They scorn thy God, and thee!
poem by Anonymous Americas
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I'm a heathen when it comes to marriage.
quote by Greta Scacchi
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Saul turns Paul: The Road to Damascus
Blinded by a brilliant light,
On the road to Damascus,
Saul of Tarsus, on horse-back
Heard the voice of Jesus Christ:
‘Saul Saul, why persecute me? ’
‘Who are you? ’ Asked Saul at once.
‘I am Jesus Christ and Lord! ’
Saul saw Christ in apparition!
Others saw the light as well,
But couldn’t hear the divine voice!
Hit by the bolt of light from sky,
Saul fell from his horse-back to ground;
The voice bade him enter city,
Where he would be told what to do;
For three days, Saul remained just blind
And did not eat and drink ever!
Ten years’ younger than Jesus Christ,
Saul annihilated Christians
Whenever, wherever, he could;
He never had seen Jesus Christ.
A disciple, Ananias
Had a vision in Damascus;
To go to the house of Judas
And to restore the sight of Saul.
Ananias did as he was bade;
Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes;
His sight was restored by God’s will
Ananias then baptized him;
He regained strength after eating;
God chose him as His instrument
To spread His name among Gentiles!
Cured by Ananias, he was
Baptized into Christianity;
From Saul of Tarsus, Pharisee,
Was born an Apostle of Christ;
Paul took his newer Latin name,
An ardent Christian, Apostle.
From youth, he knew how to make tents!
His New Testament Epistles
Became a founding voice of faith
And proved that sins can be absolved
Through faith and grace of Jesus Christ!
God forgives any sin of man,
No matter how grave it could be;
Except against Holy Spirit!
Orthodox Hebrew of Tarsus,
Saul journeyed to Damascus,
To seek and arrest Christians there!
Having witnessed Stephen stoned –
The first Christian martyr Saint!
Saul repressed disciples of Christ
At Jerusalem and elsewhere
Arresting and chaining them all,
Forcing them into blasphemy!
He laid siege to the Church!
Paul learnt the Gospel from no man;
It was revealed to him by Christ;
The grace of God had chosen him
To preach the Gospel to Gentiles;
To Paul in trance-like state, God spoke
And sent him on a mission far
To preach the Word to Gentiles all;
To open their eyes from darkness to light
To turn them away from satan;
Receive forgiveness for their sins.
St. Paul wrote epistles in Greek;
He was martyred (beheaded) in Rome.
June’08 – Jun’09 is ‘Year of St.Paul!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 7-15-2008
poem by John Celes
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Abandoning God’s Gospel
Today many gospels may go around, but, many are just not sound,
Many men preach a gospelly goop, with little Truth in religious soup,
As there’s no meat in their broth, for men who feed from that trough,
Those pulpits of the broader way, as they lead men spiritually astray.
They say in God, that they believe, but, His Truth, they don’t receive,
While they recognize philosophy, and man’s watered down theology,
As they don’t teach from God’s Word, although, His Truth is inferred,
But, only for the appearance of good, as His Truth is misunderstood.
Their gospel is for a social cause, as they put God’s Word on pause,
As they reach to man’s social need, Eternal Truths, they do not heed,
And the real Gospel is ultimately lost, as they avoid the bloody cross,
While avoiding the very reason why, upon that cross Christ had to die.
In their gospel there is no trace, of every man’s need for God’s Grace,
As their gospel ignores sin and Hell, omitting God’s Truth they will tell,
All their listeners, they go to Heaven, which is purely, religious leaven,
And their pews may be very full, but, what’s missing is God’s Gospel.
Many of these men may even muse, about Truth, we call Good News,
But, they need the bad news first, if they’re to have any spiritual thirst,
That being all men deserve to perish, apart from The Lord, we cherish,
And that all only find Eternal Life, in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
(Copyright ©08/2010)
I would not attack the faith of a heathen without being sure I had a better one to put in its place.
quote by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I didn't mind being unpopular at school, because everyone else was a heathen.
quote by Jeanette Winterson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nearly all the synth work on Heathen is mine and some of the piano.
quote by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though they may despise me.
quote by Saint Patrick
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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