Searching My History

SEARCHING MY HISTORY

I am very frustrated. I checked at the Ellis Island website, and even allowing for misspellings of names, I could not find anyone that fit the period of my father's father arrival in the US. Either the timeline was good but he was much too old, or the timeline was off by several years and he was too young. Then I entered the exact name of my mom's father, (again allowing for misspellings), and it turned up no record!

THIS is very frustrating. I KNOW that all those on both sides of the family had to have arrived prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Moreover, I cannot find anything. Ancestry. Com was no help either. Years ago, when I was a child my dad USED to get letters from his cousins that were still living in Russia. I wish I had just ONE of those letters.

At least I would have a good spelling of a name with which to work. I had a copy of my dad's HS diploma and his name was then Eli Voytovitch, somehow it changed to Alex Woitowitz. I do not know when the change happened, or even why it happened. It could be that that was his original name, and was later, for whatever reason was changed to Eli, and then back again.

I just want to know my history. I only know as far back as my grandmother on my mother's side. She had to arrive as I said prior to 1917, as my aunt was born in NY in 1917 and my mom was born in NY in 1919. I know my grandmother was born in Russia, around 1896. They had a large farm, or so I had been told. I had a grandaunt that was either two years older or younger than my grandmother. Never was sure about that either way. From what I had been told my grandmother, aunts, and uncles were rather wealthy landowners, and saw the handwriting on the wall just before the communist takeover, sold everything and left.

I also had two granduncles on my mother’s mother side in the Russian military. Both were officers, which would speak and attest the idea of them being wealthy, as peasants were never commissioned officers. They were not royalty, but they were not dirt poor either. This is all I know. It might be that much of this is fanciful thinking on my grandmother’s part, an embellishment of the truth, or it could all be as she told it to me.

Somewhere I believe I have my grandmother's INS papers, and possibly a birth or marriage certificate. I might then be able to get some idea or a starting point.

The Blind Following the Blind

After reading this piece at Michelle Malkin’s website, I immediately had a number of thoughts about these organizations.

Number one - It seems that these groups are being organized and are trying to use the power of the Federal Government to silence all opposition. In particular talk radio and conservative websites. It seems that the concept, if not the actual, Fairness Doctrine is very much alive.

Number two - As a conservative I have constantly heard from the left shouts of “separation of church and state”, yet here we have church groups, (supported by others) that are actively seeking the FCC to impose regulations, sanctions and fines. Where is that outcry now I ask?

Number 3 - I have stated elsewhere that I have known Liberal leaning Christians. Many, I have observed have a sincere desire to do good for their fellow man, and are probably not much interested in the politics of the people that are running these organizations. That being said, I do find however that the major tenet of the Bible, especially in the New Testament that appears lost on them. Those tenets being;
a) Christ is Savior
b) Salvation is obtained through grace
c) Grace is given to us freely through God the FatherThey seem to confuse the message of Christ with one of brotherly love, (which is a good thing), with salvation, (which is even better). Perhaps I am wrong, but it would seem to be the message Liberal Christians send.

While I understand their desire to do good works, which as the apostle James has said in his Epistle is linked to being a good follower of Christ, I just get the feeling that they focus too much on that, and not on Grace. Understand that I do NOT question their sincerity, but I do wonder about how they prioritize the message they receive. While both are essential as you cannot separate one from the other, the emphasis seems to be more on former than the latter.

Number 4 - I am reminded here of three scriptures

.Job 9:31
Psalms 7:15
Matthew 15:14

All three mention falling into a ditch, the latter of the three referencing the concept that those that lead and those that follow are both blind. One might be inclined to call them kindred spirits. Each supporting the other, yet headed for disaster.

The Daily Meditation

Amen Me!

The Sunday Sermon

Several days ago, or more, I had mentioned that one may find inspiration from various sources. I cited the words of the Apostle Paul as written in Philippians 4:8

“Furthermore, brethren, whatsoever thingsare true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoeverthings are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoeverthings are worthy love, whatsoever things areof good report, if there be any virtue, or if there beany praise, think on these things.”

As such, I have been moved, (by the Spirit of God), to begin a new series which will be for Sunday’s only. Some of the early Church Fathers, and clergy, wrote extensively on God’s word. Today’s sermon, an excerpt, comes from Martin Luther, titled;

“The Twofold Use of the Law & Gospel: "Letter" & "Spirit"

(For those that wish to read the entire sermon, which I highly recommend click here)

and is based upon the Second Book of Corinthians Chapter 3 Verses 4 - 11 which is quoted below;

4 And such trust have we through Christ toGod:

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to thinkanything, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is ofGod,

6 Who also hath made us able ministers of theNew Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit:for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

7 If then the ministration of death written withletters and engraven in stones, was glorious, so thatthe children of Israel could not behold the face ofMoses, for the glory of his countenance (which gloryis gone away.)

8 How shall not the ministration of the Spiritbe more glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation wasglorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was glorified, was not glorifiedin this point, that is, as touching the exceedingglory.

11 For if that they should be abolished, wasglorious, much more shall that which remaineth beglorious.

Just as an aside, and before you read the sermon, I would like to add here that the previous entry I had made was in reference to an epistle from Saint Clement (who was a disciple of Peter, and a fellow minister of the Gospel with Paul) Lest there should ever be any doubt as to how God’s Word always works in harmony with Itself, I remind the reader that that particular epistle was to the very church at Corinth of which Paul had written to previously. For whatever reason, the good saints there at the church of Corinth, seemed to continually in need of being reminded as to how to live in the Light of God’s Word, as do we all. Also please note that all that is written below, and all that I have just written is not of my own doctrine nor of Martin Luther, but are thoughts that are inspired by the Word of God. It is HE, as HE said to Moses, that will put His Word into our mouths (Exodus 4:10 - 12)

And now on to the sermon.

PAUL'S CONVERTS LIVING EPISTLES

5. Inasmuch as his activity among them is his testimonial, and they themselves are aware that through his ministerial office he has constituted them a church, he calls them an epistle written by himself; not with ink and in paragraphs, not on paper or wood, nor engraved upon hard rock as the Ten Commandments written upon tables of stone, which Moses placed before the people, but written by the Holy Spirit upon fleshly tables--hearts of tender flesh. The Spirit is the ink or the inscription, yes, even the writer himself; but the pencil or pen and the hand of the writer is the ministry of Paul.

6. This figure of a written epistle is, however, in accord with Scripture usage. Moses commands (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 11, 18) that the Israelites write the Ten Commandments in all places where they walked or stood upon the posts of their houses, and upon their gates, and ever have them before their eyes and in their hearts. Again (Proverbs 7:2-3), Solomonsays: "Keep my commandments and...my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet of thy heart." He speaks as a father to his child when giving the child an earnest charge to remember a certain thing--"Dear child, remember this; forget it not; keep it in thy heart." Likewise, God says in the book of Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 31:33), "I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it." Here man's heart is represented as a sheet, or slate, or page, whereon is written the preached Word; for the heart is to receive and securely keep the Word. In this sense Paul says: "We have, by our ministry, written a booklet or letter upon your heart, which witnesses that you believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and have the assurance that through Christ you are redeemed and saved. This testimony is what is written on your heart. The letters are not characters traced with ink or crayon, but the living thoughts, the fire and force of the heart.

7. Note further, that it is his ministry to which Paul ascribes the preparation of their heart thereon and the inscription which constitutes them "living epistles of Christ." He contrasts his ministry with the blind fancies of those fanatics who seek to receive, and dream of having, the Holy Spirit without the oral word; who, perchance, creep into a corner and grasp the Spirit through dreams, directing the people away from the preached Word and visible ministry. But Paul says that the Spirit, through his preaching, has wrought in the hearts of his Corinthians, to the end that Christ lives and is mighty in them. After such statement he bursts into praise of the ministerial office, comparing the message, or preaching, of Moses with that of himself and the apostles. He says:"Such confidence have we through Christ to Godward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God

TRUE PREACHERS COMMISSIONED BY GOD

8. These words are blows and thrusts for the false apostlesand preachers. Paul is mortal enemy to the blockheads who make great boast, pretending to what they do not possess and to what they cannot do; who boast of having the Spirit in great measure; who are ready to counsel and aid the whole world; who pride themselves on the ability to invent something new. It is to be a surpassingly precious and heavenly thing they are to spin out of their heads, as the dreams of pope and monks have been in time past."We do not so," says Paul. "We rely not upon ourselves or our wisdom and ability. We preach not what we have ourselves invented. But this is our boast and trust in Christ before God, that we have made of you a divine epistle; have written upon your hearts, not our thoughts, but the Word of God. We are not, however, glorifying our own power, but the works and the power of him who has called and equipped us for such an office; from whom proceeds all you have heard and believed.

9. It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say with full confidence of heart: "This trust have I toward God in Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God." Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the Church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ.10. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without this glory, "it is profitable for him," as Christ says (Matthew. 18:6), "that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea." For the devil's lies he preaches, and death is what he effects. Our Papists, in time past, after much and long-continued teaching, after many inventions and works whereby they hoped to be saved, nevertheless always doubted in heart and mind whether or no they had pleased God. The teaching and works of all heretics and seditious spirits certainly do not bespeak for them trust in Christ; their own glory is the object of their teaching, and the homage and praise of the people is the goal of their desire."Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves."

11. As said before, this is spoken in denunciation of the false spirits who believe that by reason of eminent equipment of special creation and election, they are called to come to the rescue of the people, expecting wonders from whatever they say and do.

HUMAN DOCTRINE NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH

12. Now, we know ourselves to be of the same clay whereof they are made; indeed, we perhaps have the greater call from God: yet we cannot boast of being capable of ourselves to advise or aid men. We cannot even originate an idea calculated to give help. And when it comes to the knowledge of how one may stand before God and attain to eternal life, that is truly not to be achieved by our work or power, nor to originate in our brain. In other things, those pertaining to this temporal life, you may glory in what You know, you may advance the teachings of reason, you may invent ideas of your own; for example: how to make shoes or clothes, how to govern a household, how to manage a herd. In such things exercise your mind to the best of your ability. Cloth or leather of this sort will permit itself to be stretched and cut according to the good pleasure of the tailor or shoemaker. But in spiritual matters, human reasoning certainly is not in order; other intelligence, other skill and power, are requisite here--something to be granted by God himself and revealed through his Word.

13. What mortal has ever discovered or fathomed the truth that the three persons in the eternal divine essence are one God; that the second person, the Son of God, was obliged to become man, born of a virgin; and that no way of life could be opened for us, save through his crucifixion? Such truth never would have been heard nor preached, would never in all eternity have been published, learned and believed, had not God himself revealed it.

The Daily Meditation

Amen Me!

Serving the Master
John 12:25 - 26

25 He that loveth his life, shall lose it, and he thathateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto lifeeternal. (a)
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me: forwhere I am, there shall my servant be: and if anyman serve me, him will my father honor. (b)

(a) Verse 25
Mark 8:35, 10:17 - 22, 44
Luke 16:13

(b) Verse 26
Isaiah 42:1
Matthew 16:24 - 26
1 Corinthians 7:22
Philippians 2:7 - 8

Conservatisim; The New Party for the Littleman

Conservatism: The New Party for the Littleman

A long time ago, and up until recently, the two party system represented the people. They were supportive of various demographics, that included such thing as income, locations, employment etc.

The Democrat Party represented the small farmers, (as opposed to the large corporate ones), the mom and pop stores across the nation. Garment workers, factory workers. The local main street stores, that employed hourly wage earners and the wage earners themselves too.

The Republican Party on the other hand represented the movers and shakers. The larger businesses and businessmen and women. This was a time during which the corporations actually produced something, such as automobiles, TV sets, radios, clothing, and much more items that could be brought to the free market.

While there existed differences, the one thing that both parties agreed upon was that capitalism that is to say the free market economy, supplied not only just the needs of the people, but their desires. Neither party could ever envision the destruction of such a system or the implementation of a communal, or command economy such as Communism or Socialism, (which is the former’s, lightweight brother) Hard work by the wage earner, and a willingness by the investor’s seemed to always produce the desired result. That result was the raising of the standard of living for all, by all.

Was there poverty? Indeed so! Did social injustice exist? Without a doubt, and yet, as busy as Americans were they still found the time and means to help ease and solve these problems.

Church groups, civic organizations, (to an extent in the early part of the 20th century, unions), and other fine, and likeminded citizens banded together to make America not only stronger, but a much more freer society than has ever been in existence.

The two parties each drew on their collective strengths to work together towards a better America.

And yet, here we are in the 21th century, and we as a nation are heading towards disarray, destruction and a way of life that our ancestors; those that have proceeded us along the American trail would find beyond belief.

Both parties, Democrat and Republican have become entrenched in the halls of power. They have become a ruling elite, whose view of the common man, is one of contempt and distain. They are both opposite sides of the same elite coin.

Corporations have become mega-giants, of whom many are just paper shufflers. We, as a nation, no longer really produce anything. Farms are being bought up, and then subsidized and have likewise become big business.

Those parties that once actually represented their constituencies no longer even listen to them. In fact they wish to impose their will upon the people, instead of working for the people.

So what is left? The answer is one word; Conservatism.

Over the past several months we have seen “we the people” demonstrating across the nation. Many are members of both parties, or perhaps were members, but can no long identify with them as they are both out of touch with the public.

The Democrat party has been taken over by radical leftists, who see America not as a land of opportunity, wherein ALL can make a go of it for their life’s dreams. Instead they see a nation, (that does not exist), a racist nation, one of social injustice, economic injustice. They feel that they and ONLY they can make things better by making everybody equally miserable, instead of allowing the individual to prosper, to seek and to achieve and to reach for the heights.

The Republicans, what can I say, other than they represent huge corporate interests, whose only goals are to control larger slices of the pie. (I know I’ll take some heat on this, for yes I believe there are companies that seek only to be profitable). Additionally I see the Republicans as Democrat light. Another elite power block, willfully ignoring the wishes of the electorate.

As the Bible says;

“They have all aside; they are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good, no not one” Psalm 14:3

“Everyone of them is gone back; they are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good, no not one” Psalm 53:3

For these reasons and I am certain many more exist are why I call upon all Americans to seek out the tenets of Conservatism. Most of us are traditional hard workers. Small business people who desire to be profitable and provide opportunity for others to work, and possibly achieve their own prosperity. We are farmers, delivery truck drivers, field workers, etc. We share a common belief that hard work pays for itself, and there is no free ride to success.

Moreover we share basic religious beliefs as well. Most of us are Christians, yes, but it does not exclude other faiths from participating in the American dream. We, as people, have more in common with each other that we have differences.

The above mentioned differences, however are exploited by both parties. They use them to divide us and to put us at each other’s throats. They use fear, envy, class warfare, and much more to keep the electorate in a state of confusion and enmity towards one another.

Please folks, I know that I am probably preaching to the choir, but I urge all of you, who have not done so, read your constitution. See what powers are allotted to the feds and those that are ours. Become active in local situations, such as school boards, chambers of commerce groups. Seek out other likeminded people that are tired, make that sick and tired of the elites in DC, running roughshod over us.

Remember as I have said we have more in common than not.

Signing Away Our Sovereignty

Signing Away our Sovereignty

What bothers me most is that nations like China will get a pass. They will be allowed to grow in all ways, and we will be diminished. Our buffoon will no doubt sign this thing. Moreover, even if China does sign it, it is this writer’s opinion they will not live up to it anyway. They will find ways to get around most of the provisions.

This is going to be worse than the Kyoto treaty, which even President Clinton couldn’t get done.

(Btw, as an added little tidbit, a report about Kyoto, in the WSJ, from June 2001 has probably not seen the light of day, which is consistent with MSM)

Now, IF PREZBO does sign it, can we talk impeachment for failing to honor his oath to DEFEND AND PROTECT the US Constitution?

Does not the Senate have to ratify this thing? I hope that the dimwits will realize what this will do to their OWN power and vote it down overwhelmingly

Hat tip on the video to Christina Peterson