The Paradox and Absurdities of Carbon-Fretting and Rewilding

Herschel Smith · 28 Jan 2024 · 4 Comments

The Bureau of Land Management is planning a truly boneheaded move, angering some conservationists over the affects to herd populations and migration routes.  From Field & Stream. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently released a draft plan outlining potential solar energy development in the West. The proposal is an update of the BLM’s 2012 Western Solar Plan. It adds five new states—Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming—to a list of 11 western states already earmarked…… [read more]

Animals

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

Really.  This video is what it seems.  Someone is feeding a black bear a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I would surmise that the bear has a higher IQ than the folks at the event.

In related news, a black bear attacks hikers and dogs near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I didn’t know that seals surf!

I didn’t know that Armadillos could swim!

That’s quite a handoff!

One bird is not like the other!

She gave food to a hungry fox, and next time he brought his buddies.

I think the leopard chose the wrong snack.

I think the leopard chose the wrong snack again.  This seems to be a recurring problem for them.

The Buffaloes didn’t like the lions any more than the infant elephant.

Yes, moose really are that big!

To Boise: Perhaps You Need To Read The Idaho Law

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

Via WoG, Idaho Dispatch.

The Independence Day parade is back in the city of Boise.

The parade was gone for a few years. This year, a new group has come together to host the event.

The information about the event can be found on the new website, Idaho 4th of July Parade from Boise (boise4th.com)

Participants have been preparing their floats and entries for the event, which is now just a few days away. Dated June 27, but sent out June 28, just 6 days ahead of the festivities, an email landed in their inboxes that caused some to pause.

The organizers of the parade have decided to add an addendum to the rules that were originally sent to entrants. The text of the addendum reads,

“Additionally, in consultation with local public safety officials, the parade organizers add the following parade entry requirement which all entries must follow:

No open carry of weapons or firearms will be permitted. The only exception to this is sworn law enforcement officers, uniformed military Honor Guard personnel or those participating in an authorized armed Color Guard.

This additional parade entry requirement ensures the focus on the parade’s intent to safely celebrate our Nation’s founding. The parade organizers greatly appreciate your adherence to this amended entry requirement.”

Greg Pruett of the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance responded to the addendum email sent to parade participants by saying,

“Just as we anticipated, the Supreme Court’s decision to undermine the right to keep and bear arms on public property in Idaho has already begun. Of all the days for the organizers of the parade to put restrictions on the second amendment, it has to be on “Independence Day.” These restrictions by private organizations on public property is only going to get worse. How long before Mayor McLean decides that all Boise city parks will be ran by a nonprofit organization who will then ban firearms throughout the city. It’s coming, unless the legislature acts and fixes the problem.”

Pruett is referencing the Idaho Supreme Court decision that came out just days ago. Idaho Dispatch reported on that here: Breaking: ISAA Loses in Idaho Supreme Court, Calls For Special Session of the Idaho Legislature – Idaho Dispatch

Maybe the Idaho supreme court should read state law too.  Idaho is a preemption state.  Cities, town, townships, etc., cannot be more restrictive than state law.

Really folks.  This is Idaho.  Idaho.

Ban On Gunfire In Louisville Ruled Unconstitutional By State Court

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

Let me address the Louisville case second in reverse order from the appearance of the videos.  The second video is about a man being told what to do and how he can behave on his own property.  Vermont is a communist state, in case you were unaware.

Now to the Louisville case.  The ban was ruled unconstitutional under state law, but that’s not what I wanted to observe here.  He goes to great lengths to expose this individual as an idiot for shooting warning shot into the air, and then again a second time, explaining that no one should ever do that and certainly no one who watches his channel.

Well, whatever.  I wasn’t there so I don’t know.  I would discourage random shooting into the air too, but would point out that a bullet will reach terminal velocity with no more increase after that.  I wonder what his viewers think happens when an object is thrown into the air?

Anyway, look at it from his perspective.  If he had been required to take a shot at a person to defend his life, he would have gotten a visit from the police, been handcuffed, spent some time in prison, and had to spend perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars on a good defense attorney, and then still perhaps lost the case and spent the rest of his life in prison.  And no, being a member of USCCA doesn’t guarantee anything, even if you’re innocent.

As it is now, he is not in prison, no one was shot, no one is dead, and the court found in his favor over the charge of discharging a firearm within the city limits (preemption was the issue).

So who’s the idiot, again?

Professor Mark Smith Breaks Down The Rahimi Case

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

It would be nice if the justices saw Garland’s ploy for what it is, i.e., to amend the protocol in the NYSRPA v. Bruen case (analogue laws at the time of the founding as the only justification for a gun control law today).  Garland and the rest of the communists in NY, Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey and elsewhere utterly hate the Bruen decision. You see, they know the Bruen test should force them to lose the case, but they are going for the sympathy vote, and if they get it, the SCOTUS will have violated its on standard, thus modifying the Bruen protocol.

It would be nice if the SCOTUS didn’t just ignore the fact that Rahimi is a fairy bad actor and celebrate it as an example of constitutional protections for everyone, not just those whom the communists feel have good moral character.  That standard is malleable and will go to serve no one’s interests except for the communists.

But I doubt that all of the justices who voted in the affirmative for Bruen will find the same way in Rahimi.  I doubt that Roberts, Barrett and Cavanaugh will be on our side.

Mark Smith breaks the case down.

Bringing Glory to God

BY PGF
1 year, 2 months ago

John 17

What a divinely beautiful prayer from our Lord in this chapter. None of us will ever pray with such a lovely heart toward Holy Father God, but we must try to attain the same purposes.

John 17 is a righteous prayer in the will of God, evidence of a life dedicated to the mission that Christ Jesus completed in service of the Father to bring glory to Him as His Son. There’s no better example than Jesus of obedience for a young man today toward his father or for a disciple toward his heavenly Father; the latter will be addressed.

Some of the things Jesus speaks to the Father about in this chapter are unique to Him and their specific relationship. But we’re also heirs, left with this prayer that we might know Christ, His purposes, and His mind toward us; we can draw many direct applications for us today and should.

Jesus, in verses one and two, knows His purpose, so He starts in prayer to the Father, seeking to fulfill that purpose in the will of the Father, asking above all for Father to be glorified, that He would receive glory in the Son. Through Christ’s example, we ought to pray both in the will of the Father and to fulfill the will of the Father. You can pray for your own choices and be perpetually unhappy for your lack of worldly goods. Or, you can pray for the Father’s will above all and be blessed with the measure of fullness just by knowing Him.

“As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” – John 17:2

Jesus came to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him, but for an express purpose; to bring glory to the Almighty. This is an unspeakable gift. We oughtn’t to be puffed up as though any deserve it; selfish-mindedness about this purpose of Christ is misplaced. Jesus came to make for Himself the inheritance that Holy Father God promised Him before eternity began. “…ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Jesus did all things well so that His heavenly Father might be sufficiently pleased with Him, receiving glory and honor and blessings.

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” – Romans 8:17

Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” – Isaiah 43:7

Having been formed by God from the dust of the earth, raised to an age of understanding, and if you would by faith in Christ, reformed by a new birth through the Holy Spirit, in Christ, called by His name, God has made you for His own glory.

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3

There is no more a submissive act than to hand your life and will to God and ask that He do with you what He desires. For He made you from the start and remade you anew, and His Son bought you with a terrible price in blood to be His own; you are not your own, therefore bring glory to God through faithful doing of the word.

If the thought scares you some, good, you know there is a will of God for you and that you have already accepted His station far above you, but coming to grips with our place in the Kingdom of God is a lofty height of thin air indeed. It’s an unknown, unpredictable, and that’s why it’s called walking by faith.

And the greatest of unknowns could be your end, for you could be martyred, or destitute, or lead a congregation to which you’re wholly unfit (hint: none are), or called before the courts of magistrates to account for your faith having been charged as a criminal. God could bring you into dangerous and remote territory, the name of which you can’t pronounce. You might have to push yourself forward, Bible in hand, to confront your enemies with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Or, although entirely within your rights not to, reconcile your broken family.

It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; being Christian, and living in the Kingdom of God, serving our King to bring Him all honor and glory isn’t for the weak of faith. Jesus said, concluding a short parable of a servant and his master: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” – Luke 17:10

Pitiful are the churches today that don’t lay out the mission of a disciple plainly by showing Christ’s commands, pointing to no other purpose but the duty to our Master, and declaring, go ye now and do it! Jesus, in John 17, shows singleness of mind to fulfill His mission to the Master, and He prays that His disciples meet their duty likewise.

Today there is one problem in the Kingdom, and it is just one fundamental problem at the root of all; the modern American church simply will not do what the Bible says. There are many reasons for this, some of which we’ve lamented over these pages, but they are all excuses at the individual level in the sight of God. To say nobody else was serving will not pass muster on the great and notable day of the Lord. To say nobody told you will not fly, for He left us His holy word with thorough instructions.

One cannot be Christian and a herd follower; it’s, as plainly as we can say, not possible. You must turn and confront the King on your knees and be anointed for the fight in righteousness, equipped also with a sword, helmet, shoes, and shield, and sent into battle against impossible odds. Christians, genuine converts, are outnumbered what, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty to one on this planet? Yet, there is no service that is not reasonable to accomplish for our Lord.

God will put you out there, hanging by one thin thread to test your faith, and regardless of the results, He’ll get the glory; look to Christ. But you see, if you won’t serve in faith, there’s nothing to test. And I’ll tell you, brethren, a little secret of those who seek the will of God, He’ll find your point where you turn back, He’ll see your limit, and you will know, in that day, He is God, and you are but sinful man, weak in the flesh. But, perhaps this is wrong; just maybe, you would go all the way to an actual cross.

A wise man once related something so simple yet profound God often brings it to mind. A worker of wickedness was testing college students at gunpoint, letting those go who denied Christ. I was discussing the faith of those young men and women who wouldn’t deny Christ and died for Him, taking a bullet to the head in front of their classmates. But this gentleman asked me, sure, you may be prepared to die for Christ in the moment, but are you willing to live your life for Him now?

Selected Notes.

“3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

What better thing in all of history for any man than that you might have occasion to eternal life and to know the one true God through Jesus Christ? There is no rational explanation that God would speak out of eternity, His Spirit moving upon the face of darkness surrounding your sin-stained mortal soul, pointing you to His Son. There is no answer but the love of God that He shined the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ into your heart, for no man ever deserved anything but the torment of hell. And sadly, if you do nothing of usefulness, you perpetuate the dead condition in which God found you, visiting a profound injustice upon Jesus; having received the truth, accepted it, and called upon Christ unto life and life eternal, not man ought to remain idle. Bring glory, therefore, to God.

What did Christ do? He did the will of the Father always, finishing the work that God gave Him to accomplish (John 6:38). No disciple is like his master except He does as his Master instructs (Luke 6:40). Finish the work ever keeping your eye on the One who is prized above all (Philippians 3:14). And if you haven’t started, well, begin today or begin anew, as Christ our Saviour has shown, in prayer, laying up before the throne your hunger to do as the Father would have, forsaking your life and the desires of the flesh for no other reason than to bring to Him the glory that is His. It’s His glory; why do you withhold it, robbing God through sloth or disobedience?

“10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”

Christ did that which satisfied God’s purposes. We see men who took the ministry given to them and followed after Christ to the glory of God the Father (2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Peter 1:14-15); faithful servants to the end, knowing their time had come, they did not boast, but knew they had done what their Master had asked. In faith, steadfast, by the will of the Father, they, belonging to no man, didn’t follow the herd. All belonging to Christ are the Fathers, and we are one in Christ Jesus to the glory of God.

Eternal life is a gift. Men ought not to shrink from the war for His Kingdom. If you knew the half of some men’s story, tried seven times, purified through fire, made a suitable vessel, sanctified by the Spirit; spiritual tests and earthly battles and battles against the lust-filled flesh, contesting with evil spirits, constantly warring that they might fulfill the call. Having endured many a hardship of every nature, for the express purpose of pleasing our Lord and in humility still, offering no other explanation but that they remain unprofitable servants. You can be humble or uselessly unprofitable, but you can’t be both.

What need has the Captain of our salvation for soldiers who will not fight? The more challenging the battle, the more we need His command, lending yet more glory to Him from us through our dependence upon Him alone; the more satisfying will be the final day of approaching union in Him.

“17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”

All those in Christ are His. God has sanctified you in the faith by His word; read it, study it, learn the truth, and do it. You ought to approach this with fear and sound purpose of heart, for you were made for God and are given to Christ for carrying out the will of God, having been rebirthed and sent into the world to bring glory to the Father as did Christ.

The young must be instructed daily, and the young in Christ must be trained with the express intent to grow them all in the confidence, fear, and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ to trust and obey Him. His word, as a sword, is the tool for this self-same purpose to bring all men to trust Christ, setting them apart for God, training and encouraging them to be sent by God also into the field, some near and some far, some unto significant burdens lifted, some unto splendid duties added, but all to bring honor publicly to our Father God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.”

Jesus prayed to do that which He was commanded. That’s plain to say, sometimes tough for us to do, but what of Christ? He gave Himself to the cross with the express purpose of doing the will of the Father. Where has any Christian man found an excuse that doesn’t point directly to Calvary’s hill, leaving him bereft of options but to follow Christ?

Jesus saw His seed on the cross (Isaiah 53:10), those who would be born again, and having endured unto the end, He glimpsed His faithful bride-to-be, knowing He alone could pay the redemption price upon your head. He prayed for you, knowing you would be His own into eternity. Through the ages, disciples have shared the Gospel, doing as Christ did, to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10) so you might believe through the word and be saved. And you owe them also, your forebearers in the faith.

We should never leave Jesus as a type of widower by our faithlessness to follow after. Thousands of years ago, Jesus prayed for you that you would receive and accept the report given by the word of his disciples. Read John 17, understand it, pray, believe, and follow after Christ in faith.

Review of the Walther WMP

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

American Hunter.

Anything that .22 LR can do, .22 WMR can do better, in a bolt gun, at least. While the magnum rimfire shines in manually operated actions, getting it to run reliably in a semi-auto is a rather large ask. The problem lies in the cartridge’s power factor, as it is too high for an unmodified blowback action yet not strong enough to operate a conventional gas-operated feeding system. Of the two, delaying a blowback system seems to yield the best results, but getting it there through simple means can be challenging. Challenges become motivation to a team of German engineers, and motivation becomes a product. Clear evidence of this concept can be found in the WMP, or Walther Magnum Pistol, a semi-automatic handgun chambered to fire classic .22 Magnum.

That seems to be the issue requiring the engineering, yes?  Cartridges that are too powerful (with powder that burns too long like a rimfire cartridge) for the slide to be opened prematurely lest the shooter get injured and/or the bullet lose velocity, versus the opposite concern of running a full size gas operated gun.  Walther solved that problem.

So the big question, what makes it run? Surprisingly, not much. While most German products are overengineered to a fault, the WMP simply utilizes the hammer mechanism to provide the delay needed to hold the pistol together while firing. All it took was getting the weight of the hammer and spring tensions just right. This leaves us with fewer failure points that ultimately add production costs to the firearm, resulting in a win for everybody.

Like most rimfires, this pistol has ammo that it’s going to like and ammo that it isn’t going to like. Much respect goes to Walther for not shying away from this fact but instead embracing it by listing a large cross-sample of what works and doesn’t work right on the website. While I am not too proud to take advice from a manufacturer, I couldn’t stick strictly to the list. However, I was confident that my choices would function well enough for paper punching. After rounding up three different ammunition weights, I slapped a Primary Arms SLx RS-10 mini reflex sight to the gun and headed out to the range.

It’s set up with an RMR footprint, which amusingly makes the optic cost as much as the gun.

We decided that the best distance to test this rimfire was 25 yards, as most squirrel and rabbit engagements happen right around this distance. However, for fun, I set up 8-inch AR-500 gongs at 50 and even 100 yards just to see how far I could push things. Starting with the Federal Game-Shok load, I snugged up a sandbag rest and sent my first round downrange. Expecting some sort of muzzle flip, I was delighted with how flat the gun shot. Typically when a bore axis sits that far above the hand, things get jumpy, but this just wasn’t the case. After firing my second shot, I had an accuracy concern, as I couldn’t spot an additional hit on paper. After clearing the pistol and walking downrange, I realized that the reason I couldn’t find it was because it was in the same hole as the first! Returning to my shooting point, I fired three more shots and turned in a group that measured just 1.10 inches. Things only got tighter from that point, with groups measuring as small as .81 inch, rivaling the accuracy of handguns that cost several times more. The other two types of ammunition also shot rather well, and all three made it through the test without a hiccup.

Stepping away from the bench, I decided to push out to the 50-yard target, which this gun had no trouble covering with a good two-handed shooting position. Even plopping rounds onto the 100-yard gong was relatively effortless, leaving more on the shooter than the firearm itself. Through it all, the muzzle stayed just about parallel to the ground, allowing me an unobstructed view of my impacts. That’s important in the field, as we need to be able to see if we struck that unassuming tree rat and he fell or if we whizzed one past his head and he ran up the back of the tree. As I digested magazine after magazine of ammo, I experimented with the Quad Release mag-catch system. I found the paddles to be a terrific option for gloved hands, while the button-style frame release provided a familiar feel. The best part is that no matter what you are used to already, there is zero learning curve in this department.

After exhausting more than 200 rounds of ammunition, my day on the range came to a close. I found the WMP to be accurate beyond words and reliable enough for the type of high-volume shooting that accompanies a good small-game hunt. It also makes an excellent pistol for bigger critters like opossums and raccoons, as it has the energy to dispatch them humanely with a single shot.

He also shot 30 grain bullets which runs counter to Walther advice, but he did it with no problems (except that I saw his groups opened up a bit with the lighter bullets, but of course his MV was higher too).  Otherwise, his accuracy was outstanding.

What Colors Can Deer See?

BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 2 months ago

My goodness this summer is hot where I am (that smoke from all the fires Trudeau is starting doesn’t help either).  Fall and winter can’t get here fast enough.  I’m already day dreaming about being in the bush on a hunt.  Speaking of this, F&S has a useful image concerning what deer see.

photo of colors deer can see compared to human

Compared to humans, deer do not see reds and oranges well, but they do see greens and blues.  Of course, green and brown are colors in the bush, as well as red and orange during the change of leaves.  But the stark reminder is that you simply don’t wear blue.  Pretty much everything else looks pretty bland to a deer.

Keeping your orange hat on is probably okay, if you don’t mind the lack of pattern (I usually wear mine to the stand or wherever else I’m hunting and then shed it for a better one – DNR will cite you with a violation if they see you traipsing around the bush without orange on somewhere, but for upland bird hunting it simply doesn’t matter what you wear as long as your legs can stand briars).  This also means that little red strip attaching gaiters to your boots or other company logo they like to put there (red symbol on camo shirts) won’t be seen by deer.

The All-Prevailing Plea

BY PGF
1 year, 2 months ago

The All-Prevailing Plea – A Prayer, by Charles Spurgeon (Date not included in the original)

O LORD God! the Fountain of all fullness, we, who are nothing but emptiness, come unto Thee for all supplies, nor shall we come in vain, since we bear with us a plea which is all prevalent. Since we come commanded by Thy Word, encouraged by Thy promise, and preceded by Christ Jesus, our great High Priest, we know that whatsoever we shall ask in prayer, believing, we shall receive. Only do Thou help us now to ask right things and may the utterances of our mouth be acceptable in Thy sight, O God our Strength and our Redeemer.

We would first adore Thy blessed and ever-to-be-beloved Name. “All the earth doth worship Thee, the Father everlasting.” Heaven is full of Thy glory. Oh! that men’s hearts were filled therewith, that the noblest creatures Thou hast made, whom Thou didst set in the Paradise of God, for whom the Savior shed His blood, loved Thee with all their hearts.

The faithful, chosen, called, and separated, join in the everlasting song. All Thy redeemed praise Thee, O God! As the God of our election, we extol Thee for Thine everlasting and immutable love. As the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we bless Thee for that unspeakable gift, the offering of Thine Only-begotten. Words are but air, and tongues but clay, and Thy compassion is divine, therefore it is not possible that any words of ours should “reach the height of this great argument” or sound forth Thy worthy praise for this superlative deed of grace.

We bless Thee, also, divine Son of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, that Thou didst not disdain to be born of the Virgin, and that, being found in fashion like a man, thou didst not refuse to be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Let Thy brows be girt with something better than thorns. Let the eternal diadem forever glitter there. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood. Unto Thee be glory, and honor, and power, and majesty, and dominion, and might, forever and ever!

And equally, most blessed Spirit, Thou who didst brood over chaos and bring it into order, Thou who didst beget the Son of God’s body of flesh, Thou who didst quicken us to spiritual life, by whose divine energy we are sanctified and hope to be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, unto Thee, also, be hallelujahs, world without end!

O Lord! our soul longeth for words of fire, but we cannot reach them! Oh! when shall we drop this clay which now is so uncongenial to our song? When shall we be able with wings to mount upward to Thy throne, and having learned some flaming sonnets that have once been sung by cherubim above, we shall praise Thee forever?

Yet even these are not rich enough for Thy glory. We would sing unto Thee a new song. We will, when we reach the heavenly shore, become leaders of the eternal music. “Day without night” will we circle God’s throne rejoicing, and count it the fulness of our glory, our bliss, our heaven, to wave the palm, and cast our crowns with our songs at Thy feet forever and ever!

Our Father, which art in heaven, next to this we would offer prayer for those who never think of Thee, who, though created by Thee, are strangers to Thee, who are fed by Thy bounty and yet never lift their voices to Thee, but live for self, for the world, for Satan, for sin. Father, these cannot pray for themselves for they are dead. Thy quickened children pray for them. These will not come to Thee, for, like sheep, they are lost, but do Thou seek them, Father, and bring them back.

Oh! our glorious Lord, Thou hast taught us to pray for others, for the grace which could have met with such undeserving sinners as we are must be able to meet with the vilest of the vile. Oh! we cannot boast of what we are. We cannot boast of what we have been by nature. Had we our doom, we had now been in hell. Had we this day our proper, natural, and deserved position, we should still have been in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. ‘Tis Thy rich, free, sovereign, distinguishing grace which has brought us up out of the miry clay and set our feet upon a rock. And shall we even refuse to pray for others? Shall we leave a stone unturned for their conversion? Shall we not weep for those who have no tears and cry for those who have no prayers? Father, we must and we will.

“Fain our pity would reclaim,
And snatch the fire-brands from the flame.”

There are those who are utterly careless about divine things. Wilt Thou impress them! May some stray shot reach their conscience! Oh! that they may be led solemnly to consider their position and their latter end! May thoughts of death and of eternity dash like some mighty waves, irresistibly against their souls! Oh! may heaven’s light shine into their conscience! May they begin to ask themselves, where they are, and what they are, and may they be turned unto the Lord with full purpose of heart.

There are others who are concerned, but they are halting between two opinions. There are some that we love in the flesh who have not yet decided for God. Behold it trembles in the balance! Cast in Thy cross, O Jesus, and turn the scale! Oh! Love irresistible, come forth and carry by blessed storm the hearts which have not yet yielded to all the attacks of the law! Oh! that some who never could be melted, even by the furnace of Sinai, may be dissolved by the beams of love from the tearful eyes of Jesus!

Lord, Lord, if there be a heart that is saying, “Now, behold I yield. Lo! at Thy feet rebellion’s weapons I lay down and cease to be Thy foe, Thou King of kings”—if there be one who is saying, “I am willing to be espoused unto Christ, to be washed in His blood, to be called in His righteousness”—bring that willing sinner in now! May there be no longer delay, but may this be the time when, once for all, the great transaction shall be done and they shall be their Lord’s and He shall be theirs.

Oh! that we could pour out our soul in prayer for the unconverted! Thou knowest where they will all be in a few years! Oh! by Thy wrath, we pray Thee, let them not endure it! By the flames of hell, be pleased to ransom them from going down into the pit! By everything that is dreadful in the wrath to come, we do argue with Thee to have mercy upon these sons of men, even upon those who have no mercy upon themselves. Father, hast Thou not promised Thy Son to see of His soul’s travail? We point Thee to the ransom paid. We point Thee once again to the groans of Thy Son, to His agony, and bloody sweat! Turn, turn Thy glorious eyes thither, and then look on sinners and speak the word and bid them live. Righteous Father, refresh every corner of the vineyard and on every branch of the vine let the dew of heaven rest. Oh! that Thou wouldest bless Thy Church throughout the world! Let visible union be established, or if not that, yet let the invisible union which has always existed be better recognised by believers. Wilt Thou repair our schisms? Wilt Thou repair the breaches which have been made in the walls of Zion? Oh! that Thou wouldest purge us of everything unscriptural, till all Christians shall come to the law and to the testimony, and still keep the ordinances and the doctrines as they were committed to the apostles by Christ!

Remember our land in this time of need. Do Thou be pleased by some means to relieve the distress prevalent. Quicken the wheels of commerce that the many who are out of employment in this city may no longer be crying for work and bread. Oh! that Thou wouldest make wars to cease to the ends of the earth, or when they break out, break Thou the slave’s fetters thereby, and though desperate be the evil, yet grant that Satan may cast out Satan and may his kingdom be divided and so fall.

Above all, Thou long-expected Messiah, do Thou come! Thine ancient people who despised Thee once are waiting for Thee in Thy second coming, and we, the Gentiles, who knew Thee not, neither regarded Thee, we too are watching for Thine advent. Make no tarrying, O Jesus! May Thy feet soon stand again on Olivet! Thou shalt not have this time there to sweat great drops of blood, but Thou shall come to proclaim the year of vengeance for Thy foes and the year of acceptance for Thy people.

“When wilt thou the heavens rend,
In majesty come down?”

Earth travails for Thy coming. The whole creation groaneth in pain together until now. Thine own expect Thee. We are longing till we are weary for Thy coming. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen and Amen.

Greenville, S.C. Woman said black bears keep coming to her home

BY PGF
1 year, 2 months ago

The first thing that struck me is that all of the newscasters have weird foreign accents. Not sure what states they are from but not South Carolina. Also, the reporter said that cubs show up with daddy bears. That’s highly unlikely. Of course, the State blames the homeowner for having modern conveniences like outside trash pickup and nice things like a bird feeder to enjoy. At the end of the video, the state propagandist says she wants bear spray, which is an excellent choice for her; please rely exclusively on it. I’ll carry a large bore handgun.

Video Via WoG.

“It’s terrifying, I’m 75 years old or will be, where in the world would I go? I can’t run from one,” she said. “I used to walk up and check our mail ‘cause it’s up on the road, and I would walk up there and check it and come back. But now I’m too scared to even walk up the driveway during the day.”

In a security video from Chambers’ property, a young bear can be seen coming up to her door, down her porch and leaving behind a big mess.

She said the bears come out at various times of the day, making her scared to go outside, even just to walk her dog.

“I opened the door this morning and my porch, it was torn to pieces,” Chambers said. “My chair was overturned, my bird seed in that can was everywhere, the flowers were knocked over like they were trying to eat them or something, I don’t know. I’m terrified.”

The State is for control, not the security of a free people.

Tennessee Local GOP pushes legislators to support 2nd Amendment during upcoming special session | OPINION

BY PGF
1 year, 2 months ago

This special session is truly nefarious. A special session in Tennessee is a separate single-topic debate. It’s a sneaky way to bring Red Flag law legislation to the floor of the full body of representatives, wherein a regular session, it would die in committee as has happened in the past. If this were the regular Tennessee session, a Red Flag law would be a non-starter.

There will be intense pressure and truckloads of outside money from national-level organizations and governments. This is a terrible and underhanded sneak attack by a governor to undermine the rights of the people of Tennessee. He’s always been a squish on gun rights and can never be trusted. Expect to see wailing mothers and crying children saying everybody must compromise and shred the Constitution because of one deranged sodomite pervert who should have been locked away in a mental facility.

Full Article.

Gov. Bill Lee has called for a special legislative session this August “to pursue thoughtful, practical measures that strengthen the safety of Tennesseans, preserve Second Amendment rights, prioritize due process protections, support law enforcement, and address mental health.”

The Montgomery County Tennessee Republican Party (MCTNGOP) stands with our Republican elected officials in maintaining their duty to uphold, preserve and protect the Tennessee State Constitution and the US Constitution with all the rights contained therein, and uphold the Republican Party values contained within the Republican Party platform.

With a primary focus of this session on possible gun control measures, and even discussions entertaining versions of a red flag law, the MCTNGOP unequivocally opposes any legislation or Republican member of the state Legislature who would seek to defy the duties and responsibilities to their constituents and constitutions, especially regarding our inalienable Second Amendment right.

I hadn’t heard of these guys, but if that’s their position, I like them.

The MCTNGOP continues its recruitment and elections of candidates that support the US and Tennessee State constitutions, and the citizen’s right to keep and bear arms that expressly “shall not be infringed” that truly is a foundational pillar of American liberty. Those officials or candidates not in alignment with our shared Republican values will not obtain the support of the MCTNGOP. We look forward to watching our committed civil servants in the Legislature stand on their conservative values to support, protect and safeguard the liberty and freedoms we enjoy as Tennesseans.



26th MEU (10)
Abu Muqawama (12)
ACOG (2)
ACOGs (1)
Afghan National Army (36)
Afghan National Police (17)
Afghanistan (704)
Afghanistan SOFA (4)
Agriculture in COIN (3)
AGW (1)
Air Force (40)
Air Power (10)
al Qaeda (83)
Ali al-Sistani (1)
America (22)
Ammunition (281)
Animals (297)
Ansar al Sunna (15)
Anthropology (3)
Antonin Scalia (1)
AR-15s (377)
Arghandab River Valley (1)
Arlington Cemetery (2)
Army (87)
Assassinations (2)
Assault Weapon Ban (29)
Australian Army (7)
Azerbaijan (4)
Backpacking (3)
Badr Organization (8)
Baitullah Mehsud (21)
Basra (17)
BATFE (227)
Battle of Bari Alai (2)
Battle of Wanat (18)
Battle Space Weight (3)
Bin Laden (7)
Blogroll (3)
Blogs (24)
Body Armor (23)
Books (3)
Border War (18)
Brady Campaign (1)
Britain (38)
British Army (35)
Camping (5)
Canada (17)
Castle Doctrine (1)
Caucasus (6)
CENTCOM (7)
Center For a New American Security (8)
Charity (3)
China (16)
Christmas (16)
CIA (30)
Civilian National Security Force (3)
Col. Gian Gentile (9)
Combat Outposts (3)
Combat Video (2)
Concerned Citizens (6)
Constabulary Actions (3)
Coolness Factor (3)
COP Keating (4)
Corruption in COIN (4)
Council on Foreign Relations (1)
Counterinsurgency (218)
DADT (2)
David Rohde (1)
Defense Contractors (2)
Department of Defense (210)
Department of Homeland Security (26)
Disaster Preparedness (5)
Distributed Operations (5)
Dogs (15)
Donald Trump (27)
Drone Campaign (4)
EFV (3)
Egypt (12)
El Salvador (1)
Embassy Security (1)
Enemy Spotters (1)
Expeditionary Warfare (17)
F-22 (2)
F-35 (1)
Fallujah (17)
Far East (3)
Fathers and Sons (2)
Favorite (1)
Fazlullah (3)
FBI (39)
Featured (189)
Federal Firearms Laws (18)
Financing the Taliban (2)
Firearms (1,792)
Football (1)
Force Projection (35)
Force Protection (4)
Force Transformation (1)
Foreign Policy (27)
Fukushima Reactor Accident (6)
Ganjgal (1)
Garmsir (1)
general (15)
General Amos (1)
General James Mattis (1)
General McChrystal (44)
General McKiernan (6)
General Rodriguez (3)
General Suleimani (9)
Georgia (19)
GITMO (2)
Google (1)
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (1)
Gun Control (1,665)
Guns (2,332)
Guns In National Parks (3)
Haditha Roundup (10)
Haiti (2)
HAMAS (7)
Haqqani Network (9)
Hate Mail (8)
Hekmatyar (1)
Heroism (5)
Hezbollah (12)
High Capacity Magazines (16)
High Value Targets (9)
Homecoming (1)
Homeland Security (3)
Horses (2)
Humor (72)
Hunting (37)
ICOS (1)
IEDs (7)
Immigration (114)
India (10)
Infantry (4)
Information Warfare (4)
Infrastructure (4)
Intelligence (23)
Intelligence Bulletin (6)
Iran (171)
Iraq (379)
Iraq SOFA (23)
Islamic Facism (64)
Islamists (98)
Israel (19)
Jaish al Mahdi (21)
Jalalabad (1)
Japan (3)
Jihadists (81)
John Nagl (5)
Joint Intelligence Centers (1)
JRTN (1)
Kabul (1)
Kajaki Dam (1)
Kamdesh (9)
Kandahar (12)
Karachi (7)
Kashmir (2)
Khost Province (1)
Khyber (11)
Knife Blogging (7)
Korea (4)
Korengal Valley (3)
Kunar Province (20)
Kurdistan (3)
Language in COIN (5)
Language in Statecraft (1)
Language Interpreters (2)
Lashkar-e-Taiba (2)
Law Enforcement (6)
Lawfare (14)
Leadership (6)
Lebanon (6)
Leon Panetta (2)
Let Them Fight (2)
Libya (14)
Lines of Effort (3)
Littoral Combat (8)
Logistics (50)
Long Guns (1)
Lt. Col. Allen West (2)
Marine Corps (280)
Marines in Bakwa (1)
Marines in Helmand (67)
Marjah (4)
MEDEVAC (2)
Media (68)
Medical (146)
Memorial Day (6)
Mexican Cartels (41)
Mexico (61)
Michael Yon (6)
Micromanaging the Military (7)
Middle East (1)
Military Blogging (26)
Military Contractors (5)
Military Equipment (25)
Militia (9)
Mitt Romney (3)
Monetary Policy (1)
Moqtada al Sadr (2)
Mosul (4)
Mountains (25)
MRAPs (1)
Mullah Baradar (1)
Mullah Fazlullah (1)
Mullah Omar (3)
Musa Qala (4)
Music (25)
Muslim Brotherhood (6)
Nation Building (2)
National Internet IDs (1)
National Rifle Association (96)
NATO (15)
Navy (30)
Navy Corpsman (1)
NCOs (3)
News (1)
NGOs (3)
Nicholas Schmidle (2)
Now Zad (19)
NSA (3)
NSA James L. Jones (6)
Nuclear (62)
Nuristan (8)
Obama Administration (221)
Offshore Balancing (1)
Operation Alljah (7)
Operation Khanjar (14)
Ossetia (7)
Pakistan (165)
Paktya Province (1)
Palestine (5)
Patriotism (7)
Patrolling (1)
Pech River Valley (11)
Personal (73)
Petraeus (14)
Pictures (1)
Piracy (13)
Pistol (4)
Pizzagate (21)
Police (655)
Police in COIN (3)
Policy (15)
Politics (980)
Poppy (2)
PPEs (1)
Prisons in Counterinsurgency (12)
Project Gunrunner (20)
PRTs (1)
Qatar (1)
Quadrennial Defense Review (2)
Quds Force (13)
Quetta Shura (1)
RAND (3)
Recommended Reading (14)
Refueling Tanker (1)
Religion (495)
Religion and Insurgency (19)
Reuters (1)
Rick Perry (4)
Rifles (1)
Roads (4)
Rolling Stone (1)
Ron Paul (1)
ROTC (1)
Rules of Engagement (75)
Rumsfeld (1)
Russia (37)
Sabbatical (1)
Sangin (1)
Saqlawiyah (1)
Satellite Patrols (2)
Saudi Arabia (4)
Scenes from Iraq (1)
Second Amendment (683)
Second Amendment Quick Hits (2)
Secretary Gates (9)
Sharia Law (3)
Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahiden (1)
SIIC (2)
Sirajuddin Haqqani (1)
Small Wars (72)
Snipers (9)
Sniveling Lackeys (2)
Soft Power (4)
Somalia (8)
Sons of Afghanistan (1)
Sons of Iraq (2)
Special Forces (28)
Squad Rushes (1)
State Department (23)
Statistics (1)
Sunni Insurgency (10)
Support to Infantry Ratio (1)
Supreme Court (59)
Survival (188)
SWAT Raids (57)
Syria (38)
Tactical Drills (38)
Tactical Gear (15)
Taliban (168)
Taliban Massing of Forces (4)
Tarmiyah (1)
TBI (1)
Technology (21)
Tehrik-i-Taliban (78)
Terrain in Combat (1)
Terrorism (96)
Thanksgiving (13)
The Anbar Narrative (23)
The Art of War (5)
The Fallen (1)
The Long War (20)
The Surge (3)
The Wounded (13)
Thomas Barnett (1)
Transnational Insurgencies (5)
Tribes (5)
TSA (25)
TSA Ineptitude (14)
TTPs (4)
U.S. Border Patrol (6)
U.S. Border Security (19)
U.S. Sovereignty (24)
UAVs (2)
UBL (4)
Ukraine (10)
Uncategorized (98)
Universal Background Check (3)
Unrestricted Warfare (4)
USS Iwo Jima (2)
USS San Antonio (1)
Uzbekistan (1)
V-22 Osprey (4)
Veterans (3)
Vietnam (1)
War & Warfare (419)
War & Warfare (41)
War Movies (4)
War Reporting (21)
Wardak Province (1)
Warriors (6)
Waziristan (1)
Weapons and Tactics (79)
West Point (1)
Winter Operations (1)
Women in Combat (21)
WTF? (1)
Yemen (1)

September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006

about · archives · contact · register

Copyright © 2006-2024 Captain's Journal. All rights reserved.