"But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  Hebrews 11:6 KJV

As we continue our look at classic Christian songs, one hymn in particular expresses a deep desire for God's constant protection.

Songwriter Thurston G. Frazier is credited with writing the hymn, Oh To Be Kept By Jesus.

The lyrics of the song, written in 1966, truly focus on surrendering everything to Jesus, wanting to be kept from sin, and finding complete security in His power and presence.

This hymn is also a prayer for divine preservation and guidance, asking to be shielded from worldly influences and held by God's power. The poignant lyrics exhibit a true longing that Jesus alone fill and control every aspect of the believer's life and being.

The simplistic words of the song so poignantly state…

Oh to be kept by Jesus

Lord at Thy feet I fall

I would be nothing, nothing, nothing

Thou shall be All And All

The theme of the song draws from scriptures…Psalm 30:3 acknowledges, “O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”

Jude 1:24 powerfully declares, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,"

And 1 Peter 1:5 assures "... who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

To God Be The Glory for this prayer through song for divine preservation, asking God to hold we who are believers safe from harm, temptation, and despair, making Him our "All In All." Faithful believers in Jesus Christ can rest in the salvation that He has given to us. The Holy Spirit who enters us at the moment of salvation is the promise that we will be kept throughout this life and into eternity.

Sister Cathy Black

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

• Join our Virtual Prayer Service by phone on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Bible Study from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
  
  Call: 253-215-8782 or 301-715-8592;
  Additional Phone Numbers:
  564-217-2000; 646-558-8656;
  646-931-3860
  Meeting ID: 685 433 0718
• Radio broadcasts Saturdays 9:00 am and 3:00 pm as well as Sundays at 7:30 am on WJMM FM 99.1
• International Sunday School Lesson
  This Sunday's Lesson:
  
  "God's Judgement on Nations: Will God Judge Wickedness?" Joel 3:9-16
  
  Lesson Nugget:
  In today's lesson, the author reminds the reader that there is a time of accounting when the rigteous judge will pronounce judgement on our deeds done whether good or evil. If one will confessed and repented of one's evil deeds and petitioned God for forgiveness, He is gracious and merciful in His forgiveness.
  
  Do we as Christians really believe that we are accountable for our deeds whether good or evil?

• Next Sunday's Lesson: "True Worship: What Does It Mean To Truly Worship God?" Amos  5:14-15, 18-27

• In - Person Worship Service on Sundays at 10:30 am and Streaming on the Church Facebook Page and YouTube. It can also be viewed on demand on the church
  historicpg.org website by selecting "Watch Us Live."
  
• Thank you for giving your Tithes and Offerings In-Person, by mail or with the Givelify App.
  
• Give with CashApp: $1790pgchurch
  
  Our mailing address is:

Historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church

PO Box 11845
Lexington, KY 40578

Upcoming Events

Virtual Prayer Service 

Tuesday, January 27, 7:00 PM

Call: 253-215-8782;

Meeting ID: 685 433 0718

Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, January 29, 6:30 pm

 Bible Study,

In-Person & Virtual

Saturday, January 31, 10:00 AM

Call: 253-215-8782;

Meeting ID: 685 433 0718

Greetings from the Youth Ministry and Happy New Year! We pray that all is well with our Church family! We are thrilled to begin another year of learning about God's Word and witnessing about His goodness. We look forward to continuing our study of the Great Characters of the Bible by Alan B. Stringfellow and growing a stronger relationship with God. With the help of the Lord, this year, the Youth Ministry is pleased to present the newest piece of our ministry, Sisters In Christ and Seekers, in which the Youth will as young women and men, respectively, begin to learn and sharpen essential "life skills." Led by scripture, we will incorporate different weekly activities and events that will help them from now into young adulthood, from cooking, to lawncare, financial literacy, trades, and more, as well as volunteer opportunities! We are excited to be able to share these important skills with our Youth and we ask for your continued support and prayers.
Beginning this month, the Youth will meet EVERY Wednesday at the church at 7pm, as well as other locations (to be determined.) We welcome ALL Youth and please bring a friend! All reminders and events will be posted in our GroupMe messaging app. Contact Sis. Heather Happy (859.509.2927) for additional details.

Yours In Christ,

Youth Directors

WE ARE ONE!

Welcome to the 40 Year Christians' Cooking Corner! 

Here we will feature recipes from the 40 Year Christian Group. This week's recipe comes from Sister Alyce Emerson by way of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Blessings to all.

Sister Linda Gates, President

Gluten Free
Peach Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries
1 cup peaches, small dice
3 cups gluten-free baking flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 ½ cups non-fat milk

Streusel Topping:
¼ cup gluten-free baking flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease
the wells of a muffin tin or line with paper
liners and spray with non-stick spray. Rinse
blueberries and drain well. Remove skin
from peaches and dice. In a large bowl, mix
together the gluten-free flour, granulated
sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and
cinnamon. Melt butter i n a microwave safe
bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs,
milk and melted butter together. Pour the
wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and
use a spoon to mix just until incorporated.
Fold the blueberries and peaches into the
batter gently. Fill muffin cups ⅔ full.

For the streusel topping: In a medium
bowl, place gluten-free flour, brown
sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using a
pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture
resembles fine crumbs. Spoon streusel
topping over the batter evenly. Bake
muffins 18-20 minutes. Do not overbake.
Remove muffins from pan to cool.
Yield: 24 muffins

Yield: 24 muffins

Name: Vicki D. Clark Laine

Current Focus: I decided to get back into the workforce after being retired for 6 years. Being able to sleep in every morning and not rush to get up was wonderful. But after a while it got old. It got boring pretty fast after having worked since I was 16 years old.

Career: I retired as a Senior Executive Assistant at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA.

I now work for the Dialysis Clinic as the Unit Secretary. Once I began working there, I started seeing friends I hadn’t seen for some time. They were there for dialysis. So now, we are bonding all over again.

Why this Career?: I always loved to type so getting into this field was a no-brainer. Some people thought this was crazy, but you like what you love! I graduated from Central Kentucky Vo-Tech School with a business certificate. Yes, a certificate, not degree. This certificate has taken me all over the U.S. because every company needed someone who could actually type and type well.

I started out at the University of Kentucky in numerous positions. I was there for sixteen years. I left UK and started working at the federal FCI Prison for a year. Every new employee of the prison system had to go to basic training at Glynco in Brunswick, GA. I loved the training! I loved the training more than the work in the prison. LOL I got to learn how to shoot a gun and a rifle. I learned different types of martial arts moves (karate, etc). I even got honors in my gun class!

Once I was back in the “real” world at the prison, we had a situation with the prisoners. All of the employees had to go to the basement. We weren’t given guns. I thought that was ridiculous! Why did they give us training if we weren’t going to use it. No employee was allowed to leave or enter the prison. I was stuck. I couldn’t get home to my boys! Once ithe situation was over, I decided prison life wasn’t for me!

Then I moved to Houston, Texas! I absolutely loved living there and working at the Texas Children’s Hospital and MD Anderson Hospital until I had to move back to KY.

From there I had several other positions in other organizations. One of those organizations was the Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County. I loved working as the Office Manager/ Executive Assistant to the CEO/President, Mr. P.G. Peeples. I loved working with Mr. P.G. Peeples and I learned a lot from him.

Then I got restless again and had to move on, so I started working for the federal government again at the USDA office. Working for the federal government was awesome because it had great benefits and retirement plans. Again, restless, so I started putting in for transfers to other federal agencies. That is how I ended up working for the Center for Disease Control.

I truly loved working for the CDC. I was able to move around to various departments. I worked with Ebola when the outbreak hit, HIV when it started running rampant and with the other diseases that our agency had to address. I enjoyed the employee programs that recognized numerous groups of people. I was asked to sing too many times to count. That was rewarding because I was using my God-given gift. I truly hated to leave the CDC, but it was time to come “home”!

Living in Atlanta for 20+ years, I buried my father, mother, two brothers and my baby sister, so it was time! If there was a CDC up this way, I would have transferred instead of leaving. But God knew best because look at what the CDC is enduring now with this administration!

What do you want your church family to know about you? I truly believe that you can hear the LORD talking to you if you just be still! I have experienced it myself! Also, know that GOD will help you if you truly pray in earnest! When my oldest son died several years ago, I was so hurt. But I was able to pray and ask God to give me strength to deal with his passing. No parent should ever bury their child first. It still hurts at times, but I’m good because GOD answers prayers.

Also, know that the health scare I had last month didn’t leave me in tears and scared. Like I said when I came down for prayer, I wasn’t scared, that if that was to be my lot in this life, I would deal with it while also knowing that the prayers of the righteous availeth much. GOD answered prayer. GOD worked it out. HE surrounded me with prayer warriors from our church family to my Texas family to my Maryland family and to my Argentina family! I was COVERED!

When you are covered like I have been, you know that you have work to do for GOD’s glory. I’m trying to work more in our church. Prayerfully some things will open up for me. I would also like to get back in the choir because my voice is my gift.

My parents worshipped in this church. They reared my siblings and me in this church. Some of my siblings have passed. Others worship in other congregations/cities. My brother, David and I are still at our family church, our HPGMBC. My siblings and I grew up watching our elders participate in the worship service while learning to do the same. My grandmother, the late great Hattie Clark, sang in the choir. She could sing a line hymn like no one else! My father, the late Willis Clark, sang as well. He was an awesome bass singer. He would also play his instruments in the church when our late pastor, Dr. T.H. Peoples would ask him to do so on special occasions. My late sister Kim also found joy in singing in the choir. GOD placed me in a musical family. “I am so glad, glad, so very glad that GOD has made me” to sing!

Is there anything special your church can do for you? Keep me and mine lifted up in prayer, especially as I try to help my granddaughter get through college.

What do you want your church family to know about GOD? GOD is oh so real. You just have to be open! What GOD has for you is for you!

Parents: the late Willis Clark and the late Willie Mae Perkins

Adult Children: Damien Laine and the late Adrian Laine

Grandchildren: 6

Great grandson: 1

Congratulations to 

Sister Shyan Laine…our future Nurse!

Shyan has been working in the medical field since 2021 and has a passion for helping people. She attended BCTC last semester, finishing with a GPA of 3.0! While she’s unable to return to school this semester, she said she continues to lean on the powerful words of Isaiah 60:22, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.”

Shyan faithfully declares, “When the timing is right, the Lord will make it happen. The same God who gave me this passion 18 years ago, and blessed me with a job that allowed me to grow in the profession is the same God who will give me the opportunity to go back to school and further me education so that I can continue to do what I was made to do. Only in His timing and His alone, I need only to be still and obey.”

Sister Shyan Laine is the granddaughter of Sister Vicki Laine.

Recent Requests

• Family of Brother Ralph Floyd, who passed. (Father of Brother David Miller-Morton the son of Sister Lisa Miller) Arrangements pending
  
  
• Family of Brother Branson Irvin (Indianapolis, IN), who passed (Cousin of Sister Mary Thomas)
  
  
• Family of Brother Everett Martin, who passed. Arrangements pending
  
  
• Brother Willis K. Bright, Jr. (Indianapolis, In)
  
  
• Sister Deneia Briscoe (Home) (Oldest daughter of Brother Wayne and Sister Johnetta Frazier)
  
  
• Sister Charlie Peoples Brown (Home)
  
  
• Brother Sherman Greene (St. Joseph Hospital Harrodsburg Rd) (Father of Sister Janice Owens)
  
  
• Brother Bruce from Tates Creek Golf Course Clubhouse
  
  
• The Kierra Joseph Family
  
  
• Sister Candace Hayes (Home) (Daughter of Sister Sharon Scarber)
  
  
• Sister Jackie Lindsay (Home) (Sister of Brother Wayne Frazier)
  
  
• Sister Dawn Gay Martin (Home)
  
  
• Brother Bill & Sister Penny McCann (Austin, TX)
  
  
• Sister Charlet McLellan & Family
  
  
• Sister Sharon Scarber (Home)
  
  
• Sister Lynn Smith (Home)
  
  
• Sister Kendra Taylor (Home)
  
  
• Sister Carol Thomas (Home)
  
  
• Brother William "Bill" Young (Home)

Ongoing Requests:

• Brother Levi Fishback (Harrodsburg Health & Rehabilitation Center, Harrodsburg, KY)
  
  
• Sister Anna Jarber (Homestead Nursing Home)
  
  
• Sister Thelma Masterson (Homestead Nursing Home)
   
• Brother Glenn Allen (Home) (Relative of the Brooks Family)
  
  
• Sister Mary Ann Banksden (Florence, AL) (Sister of Brother Sammie Brooks)
  
  
• Sister Lillian Bell (Ruston, LA)
  
  
• Sister Ruby Branham (Prestonsburg, KY) (Mother of Sister Jackie Peoples)
  
  
• Sister Beverly Bowman (Home)
  
  
• Sister Bonita Brown (Home)
  
  
• Brother Byron Brown
  
  
• Sister Patricia Brown (Home)
  
  
• Sister Carrie Clay (Home) Upcoming surgery
  
  
• Sister Charmaine Collins (Home) (Daughter of Sister Debra Collins)
  
  
• Sister Debra Collins (Home)
  
  
• Sister Gloria Coleman (Home)
  
  
• Brother Lonnie Cowan (Home)
  
  
• Crutcher, Jones, & Payne Family (especially Little Brother Vince Crutcher III and Sister Brittany Payne)
  
  
• Sister Laura Dunaway (Home)
  
  
• Brother Billy Edwards (Home)
  
  
• Sister Shirley Alcorn Edwards (Portsmouth, VA)
  
  
• Sister Jessica Embry
  
  
• Sister McKinley Emerson (Home)
  
  
• Brother Greg Forrest (Kevil, KY) (Nephew of Sisters Janice Jackson and Barbara Ridgeway)
  
  
• Sister Johnetta Frazier (Home)
  
  
• Sister Wanda Frazier (Home) (Sister of Brother Wayne Frazier)
  
  
• Sister Erica Gill (Daughter of the late Rev. O. D. Gill) (Home)
  
  
• Rev. Jerry Gumm (Home)
  (Friends of the late Dr. Charles Black's family)
  
  
• Brother Darius Hall, Jr. (14 year old Grandson of Sister Marion Hall) (Home)
  
  
• Sister Sheryl Haskins (Home)
  
  
• Sister Jeanette Higgins (Home)
  
  
• Sister Gwendolyn Holloman (Home) (Wife of Bishop J. B. Holloman)
  
  
• Sister Iris Horice (Paducah, KY) (Niece of Sisters Janice Jackson and Barbara Ridgeway)
  
  
• Brother Daron Houtman, Jr. (Wichita, KS) (Nephew of Sister Lisa Leath)
  
  
• Brother Julian Jackson (Home) (Father of Brother Jarold Jackson)
  
  
• Sister Kemona Johnson (Home)
  
  
• Sister Norma Johnson (Home)
  
  
• Sister Vera Johnson (Home) (Sister of Sister Marion Hall)
  
  
• Brother Vincino Johnson (Home)
  
  
• Brother Travis Jones (Home ) (Brother of Sisters Liz Brooks, Trina Morton, and Sobona Sweat)
  
  
• Sister Janet King (Classmate of Sister Norma Johnson)
  
  
• Brother Larry Leath (Home)
  
  
• Sister Lindsey Leath (Home)
  
  
• Sister Patricia Leavell (Home)
  
  
• Sister Karisma Lockhart (Los Angeles, CA) and her family (Niece of Rev. Freddie Moody)
  
  
• Sister Danise Madison (Seattle, WA) (Sister of Sister Bonita Brown)
  
  
• Sister Genice Moody Mays (Los Angeles, CA) (Youngest sister of Rev. Freddie Moody)
  
  
• Sister Irene Sykes McKenzie (Home)
  
  
• Sister Elnora Miller (Home) (Mother of Sister Lisa Miller)
  
  
• Sister Lisa Miller (Home)
  
  
• Brother Daryl Moberly (Uncle of Sister Marva Eubank)
  
  
• Sister Tyailan Moberly (Home) (Cousin of Sister Marva Eubank)
  
  
• Brother Charles Moore, Sr. (Denton, TX) (Brother of Sister Shelia Williams)
  
  
• Sister Dorothy Offutt (Home)
  
  
• Sister Ashanti Owens (Granddaughter of Sister Mary Thomas)
  
  
• Sister Brittany Payne (Home)
  
  
• Brother Stevie Pepper (Columbus, OH) (Cousin of Sister Mary Thomas)(Home)
  
  
• Sister Darlene Pope (Home)
  
  
• Brother Steven Prater (Richmond Hill, GA)
  
  
• Sister Ruth Rawlings (Friend of Sister Kim Bond)
  
  
• Veronica Ridgeway (Louisville, KY) (Cousin of Sisters Janice Jackson and Barbara Ridgeway)
  
  
• Sister Annette Reid (Home)
  
  
• Brother Ashley Roach
  
  
• Sister Gayle Rush-Coleman (Home)
  
  
• Sister Tamika Sales (Home)
  
  
• Brother Donald Scarber (Home)
  
  
• Brother Doug Smith (Brother of Rev. Michael Smith) (Home, Louisville, KY)
  
  
• Sister Pennie Smith (Home)
  
  
• Sister Eleanor Smothers (Home)
  
  
• Sister Delores Spencer (Home)
  
  
• Sister Tonia Stewart (Home)
  
  
• Brother Adrian Tatman (Home)
  
  
• Sister Anna Tatman (Home)
  
  
• Sister Cheryl "Midge" Taylor (Home)
  
  
• Brother Pete Thompson (Home)
  
  
• Sister Anna Ison-Walker (Home)
  
  
• Brother Kevin Walker (San Francisco, CA) (First Cousin of Rev. Freddie Moody)
  
  
• Sister Martha Warner (Home) (Mother of Sister Catherine Frye)
  
  

• Sister Tassa Wigginton (Home)
  
  
• Brother Melvin Williams (Home)
  
  

• Brother Leon Wilson (Home) (Brother-in-Law of Sister Mary Thomas)
  
  
  
• Each person listed on our Sick List
  
  
• HPGMBC Full Time Pastor Search Committee Members, their families and their work
  
  
• Victims of the Wildfires
  
  
• Families of the Children affected in war torn countries around the world
  
  
• Children orphaned due to war and worldwide crises
  
  
• Families affected by gun violence in our community and abroad
  
  
• COVID-19 Victims around the world
  
  
• The People of Ukraine
  
  
• Healthcare workers, First responders, etc.
  
  
• The Entire Pleasant Green Church Family
  
  
• Our our Local and National Government Officials

Heavenly Father, help us say goodbye to our past and look forward to the future.Thank you for Jesus. In His Name. Amen 

{Adapted from Our Daily Bread,  January 9, 2026}

Keep Your Contact Information Updated

Please keep your contact information up to date. In case of emergencies, changes of service times, etc., every attempt will be made to contact church members as expeditiously as possible using text messages to cell phones, phone calls, and emails. You can update your contact information by calling the church at (859) 254-7387.

If you would like to volunteer in assisting with contacting members on the rare occasions when information needs to be communicated to the church membership quickly, please call the church and give your name and phone number.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Thank You

Thank you to the Media Team for preparing and broadcasting the "Winter Weather Worship Service" online today. First, we thank God for providing the technology, the know how, the willingness, and the strength to put in the hard work on short notice to prepare today's online worship service in light of the inclement weather. Special appreciation goes to Brother Takiyah Jones and Sister Cathy Black, who worked tirelessly to make the broadcast possible and Sister Maya Smith for advertising the broadcast on Social Media platforms.

To God Be the Glory!

FLU

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

Flu shots are available at local pharmacies. Consult your physician regarding a flu vaccination.

RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common, contagious virus that usually causes mild symptoms. In older adults and adults with certain underlying conditions, RSV can cause severe infections.

RSV shots are available at local pharmacies. Consult your physician regarding a RSV vaccination.

COVID-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by staying at least 1 metre apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn and follow local guidance.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory etiquette, for example by coughing into a flexed elbow, and to stay home and self-isolate until you recover if you feel unwell.

Both COVID vaccines and Booster COVID vaccines are available at local pharmacies. Consult your physician regarding COVID vaccinations.

General Health Information

General Health information can be obtained from the Health Department. Contact information is below:

LEXINGTON-FAYETTE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
650 Newtown Pike
Lexington, KY 40508
(859) 252-2371.

VOL. 11. 1 25 26 COMMON SENSE REVISITED

“O BEAUTIFUL FOR HEROS PROVED”?!?

ONE COMMENTATOR wrote this about the National hymn “America, the Beautiful: inspired by “Isaiah 45:22 (“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!” “For I am God, and there is no other”) pertains to the song "America, the Beautiful" by providing a theological foundation for the song’s themes of divine grace, national repentance, and the request for God to guide the nation's destiny. While the song is patriotic, it leans on biblical imagery that places God as the author of liberty and the ultimate protector, echoing the call for a nation to look to God rather than relying solely on itself.”

“In essence, Isaiah 45:22 serves as a scriptural backdrop for a "Kingdom-centered patriotism" in the song, asking for God to guide and purify the nation, acknowledging Him as the ultimate source of its prosperity and freedom. By identifying God as the source of freedom, the song aligns with the message of Isaiah 45 that God is the supreme authority and deliverer, not just for Israel, but as a universal force.”

Was this message shared with the Native Americans that Columbus encountered in Hispaniola or the Indigenous Native American Arawak people of the Caribbean? Or the African natives from the continent of Africa?

Let’s see, according to Historical accounts, from Friar

Bartolomé de Las Casas, who detailed extreme brutality committed by Christopher Columbus and his men against the Indigenous American Arawak people of the Caribbean, including the killing of children and infants.

The following is a list of those brutalities:

“Specific atrocities described in primary and secondary sources include:

• Bashing infants' heads against rocks: Multiple sources reference accounts, such as those from Las Casas, which describe Spanish soldiers dashing the heads of Native American infants against rocks as a brutal practice.
• Bodily dismemberment: Spanish soldiers would "test their swords" by slicing off heads, cutting people in half with one blow, and cutting off hands and leaving them dangling.
• Mass murder and torture: Methods of execution included burning groups of Native people alive, hunting them with attack dogs, and knifing them for sport.
• Slavery and forced labor: Columbus enslaved thousands of Taino people and forced them to mine for gold; those who did not meet impossible quotas had their hands cut off.
• Sexual violence: There are numerous accounts of sexual violence and the trafficking of Indigenous women.

These actions, along with disease introduced by the Europeans, led to the near annihilation of the Indigenous population on Hispaniola within decades of Columbus's arrival, which many scholars define as genocide.

These facts are well-documented in historical records, though some critics of "Columbus bashing" argue that historians like Las Casas may have been prone to hyperbole/(exaggerated statements or claims)? or that Columbus is unfairly blamed for actions committed by those who came after him. However, even Columbus's own biographer, Samuel Eliot Morison, acknowledged that the "cruel policy initiated by Columbus and pursued by his successors resulted in complete genocide".’

Think about the stanza as you read the words: “O Beautiful for heroes proved. In liberating strife, who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness, and every gain Devine.” The actions of the Europeans make each stanza of the song invalid in the concept of COMMON SENSE.

Enter the pre–Colonial African experience with Europeans. Please compare their experiences with the Native Americans. Both tribal traditional groups shared similar experiences. Both cultures clashed with the European culture.

One commentator explains this encounter this way:

“The pre-colonial cultural clash between white Europeans and Black Africans was characterized by a fundamental misalignment in worldviews regarding land, social organization, and religion, which was gradually exacerbated by racial ideologies that justified (excuse) exploitation. While early interactions involved trade, they quickly evolved into conflict as European views of intellectual and cultural superiority collided with complex, diverse, and often communal African systems.”

Key areas of cultural conflict between the two included:

1. Perspectives on Land and Property

• European View: Based on feudal traditions, Europeans operated under a system of private property rights, viewing land as a commodity to be bought, sold, and owned by individuals.
• African View: Land in many pre-colonial African societies was managed through kinship systems, where it was communal or held in trust by a leader for the community rather than owned by an individual. This fundamental difference led to profound misunderstandings regarding treaties and land acquisition.

2. Social and Political Structures

• European View: European society was heavily hierarchical, patriarchal, and increasingly focused on centralized state power.
• African View: While Africa had large kingdoms (e.g., Mali,(Ghana), Benin, Songhai)(where many Europeans traveled to…seeking deeper knowledge that was taught in these Ancient African City states), many areas operated under decentralized, kin-based, or "acephalous" (stateless) systems, focusing on consensus rather than top-down authority.
• Clash: Europeans often failed to recognize the legitimacy of African political structures, viewing them as "savage" or uncivilized. (Justification to get what they wanted)

3. Economic Systems and Value

• European View: Driven by emerging capitalism and mercantilism, Europeans sought to exploit resources for profit.
• African View: Many economies were based on subsistence farming, regional trade, and complex craft production, with social standing not always tied to material wealth.
• Clash: The European demand for enslaved people to fuel plantation economies, particularly after the 17th century, fundamentally distorted existing social and economic systems, driving conflict.

4. Religious and Philosophical Differences

• European View: Rigid, monolithic Christianity, which was often used to justify the superiority of European culture and the enslavement of "heathens".
• African View: A diverse range of traditional religious beliefs focusing on ancestor veneration, animism, and spiritual, communal connection to the land. In some regions, particularly in the north and west, Islam had also been a long-standing influence.

5. Racial Ideology and Intellectual Divergence

• The "Inferiority" Construct: Over time, particularly as the transatlantic slave trade grew, Europeans developed justifications for slavery, creating a "racialized identity" that depicted Africans as subhuman.
• Cultural Misinterpretation: Europeans often misinterpreted African customs,, ignoring the existence of advanced indigenous knowledge in medicine, mathematics, and astronomy.

6. Early Misunderstandings

• Early contact was marked by both trade and misunderstanding. In some cases, Europeans who interacted closely with Africans were seen by their peers as becoming "savage" (or "Indianised" in the American context), showing the stark divide in cultural norms.

These differences meant that early encounters were not merely exchanges, but a "clash of worlds" where European, African, and later (Native)American cultures collided, forcing, as one, the destruction of existing, complex African systems, in favor of a new, colonial reality.”

My mentor, the venerable Dr. Henry Ellis Cheaney’s first lecture on Black History was the 3 M’s of the African City States in regard to European contact with the “Dark Continent.” Those 3 M’s were, “Merchants, Missionaries, and Mercenaries.”

The MERCHANTS came to Africa after hearing the European scholars reports of great riches. This prompted the MERCHANTS TO go and see for themselves. They saw for themselves the riches that could be gleaned from the continent. Then, they put their plans in motion to exploit the Africans.

The MISSIONARIES went to Africa at the urging of the Merchants to evangelize the African savages. (The Merchants ulterior motive was in no way Christian. They merely wanted to make it easier to take advantage of Africans to have the upper hand over them. Both the merchants and the missionaries knew that the black Africans were not savages nor their lesser counterparts their goal was to make it easier for them to get what they wanted.

The MERCENARIES, professional private fighters motivated by financial gain placed themselves into the employ of the previous two invaders. Their role being that of protecting the merchants and missionaries as they pillaged the African continent for “filthy lucre” (“Filthy lucre’’ as per 1Timothy 3:3, Titus1:11, meaning “sordid gain,” dirty money, ill-gotten gains, tainted cash, and profit.

Put all 3 M’s in context and you can understand the fate of Africa during the colonial era of history. While doing so, read aloud the last refrain in the stanza recorded in this Vol. 11 of COMMON SENSE REVISITED which reads,“…Till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine.” Then ask if the plight of Native Americans and forced black immigrants to America has been assuaged/(To make an unpleasant feeling less intense, or severe.) by the lyrics of America’s National hymn.

COMMON SENSE WILL LEAD YOU IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING:

TO BE CONTINUED…