Podcasts about Old England

How did the fracturing of Christianity in Old England affect how churches were founded in New England? Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie, Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah for our nine-episode series, “Pilgrims, Puritans, and the Founding of New England.” In episode 7, we learn about changes occuring in Old England affecting New England's religious landscape, the fracturing of Christianity in Old England, the secret Roman Catholic King of England and resulting secret partnership with France, Increase and Cotton Mather in New England, and the Church in Massachusetts. Resources in this episode: All episodes in The Puritan Movement series Find more from Dr. MacKenzie here Recommended reading from Dr. MacKenzie includes: Worldly Saints by Leland Ryken, English Puritanism by John Spurr,  Reformation in England  by Peter Marshall,  Puritan Christianity in America: Religion and Life in 17th Century Massachusetts  by  John Carden, and  Pilgrim's Progress  by John Bunyan. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Sam Amidon is a folk fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, and singer from New England who now lives in Old England. He's become known for his inventive and often surprising arrangements of folk songs from both sides of the Atlantic. But he's also someone who refuses to stay in his lane. So you could call his new album, Salt River, a collection of folk songs - if your definition of folk song is broad enough. Sam Amidon and multi-instrumentalist Chris Vatalaro expand folk tunes – shape note anthems, murder ballads, traditional songs - and play in-studio. Set list: 1. Three Five 2. Golden Willow Tree 3. I'm On My Journey Home

Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateInfo on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScreamInfo on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TVIN THIS EPISODE: A Christmas party turns tragic when a young bride suggests a game of hide-and-seek… then disappears for fifty years. (The Bramshill Bride) *** When you hear someone mention the headless horseman it's almost impossible not to think of the New England story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – a classic Halloween tale if there ever was one. But then there is the Christmas tale of another headless horseman as well – this one in Old England - and he makes an appearance each Christmas at Wycoller Hall. (The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall) *** A husband invites his wife into the room and asks her to closer her eyes for a Christmas surprise. The surprise is that she will never open her eyes ever again. (A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting) *** A mother is terrified when her daughter tells of a young girl who wants to play with her – but she also appears to be dead. (Ghostly Warnings) *** A Redditor tells a frightening story that took place one Christmas while visiting his grandmother's home. (I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again) *** To disguise oneself as the ever-generous Kris Kringle only to take life away from the innocent is simply unforgivable. Still, somehow, murders committed by people dressed up as Santa just keep happening. (Real Stories of Slaying Santas) *** (Originally aired December 13, 2021)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Real Stories of Slaying Santas” by Jake Black for Ranker.com's Unspeakable Times:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ypav4v68, and Katee Fletcher for Thought Catalog:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4m8ur6tr“The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckp22x9“Terrifying Holiday Traditions” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3sv6kk6y“The Bramshill Bride” from BurialsAndBeyond.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxf6sf86“Ghostly Warnings” by Kathi Kresol from HauntedRockford.com“A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting” from ABC News: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kcny9kz“I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again” by Redditor u/rikndikndnkn123, posted at Bugged Space:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5bujx5npVisit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsorsJoin the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateAdvertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =OTHER PODCASTS I HOST…Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymagMicro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrorsRetro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradioChurch of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =https://weirddarkness.com/real-stories-slaying-santas/

Jay got over in Week 6, taking five of the six that he and Dre differed on, so he'll get the honors as they award the best and worst of the week in the NFL. Then they preview Week 7, which has yet another London Jaguars game as they face the New England Patriots in Old England, the Lions and Vikings fighting for command of the NFC North, the Chiefs and Niners renewing Super Bowl acquaintances, the Texans and Packers playing as Jay takes in the festivities in Green Bay, and the miraculous recovery of Davante Adams and his hammy as his new squad, the Jets, fly into Pittsburgh on Sunday night.   Music: "Power Shot" by Eugenemeyers

"Migration is movement. It may be escape or connected with ambition and dreams. We selected ‘019 Amazing Grace' because of its connection with the uplift of the spirit. This was our starting point. The end of the field recording repeats ‘closing down sale' and this prompted a vision of closed borders. The juxtaposition of being uplifted and closed down reflected the journey that we often find ourselves on as we migrate from one part of life to another.  "We collected our own sound recordings to weave into the original. This included The Kimberleys' live performance of ‘Old England' at the Islington Folk Club (permission granted to use this extract). Rowing around Derwent Water allowed us access to the sound of oars hitting water and conjured up images of those travelling across water to find a better place. A further recording of a street musician singing has been woven into the track to further lift the spirit of the traveller. "We may find ourselves isolated. We may need uplifting. We may need a fresh start. Our final piece reflects that whilst the world may be closing in around us, we must lift our spirits and continue the journey."   Amazing Grace in Peckham reimagined by Caroline Grimshaw and Stephen Mugford. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world's first collection of the sounds of human migration.  For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

Paul Hawksbee was joined by Andy Jacobs for this afternoons podcast. We were joined by special guest Timi Max Elsnik, Slovenian midfielder giving his opinion on England. Martin Kelner joined us and we spoke to some European fans. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're speaking with Theresa Walker of Great Bay Wool Works and her lovely natural-colored ovine assistant Hazel (okay, so hubby Patrick did a little bit of modeling, too.).  We learn about natural-colored sheep, geography in New England, a bit of why New England and Old England feel familiar to each other, and much more.  This is one of those where Rick had to keep saying, “Stop patting the sheep, Elara.”  We think this fiber is gorgeous, regardless of whether it's on grass -- or on the very Patient Patrick.Links:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovinehttps://greatbaywoolworks.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KcDt99gxkohttps://ncwga.org/https://americanromney.org/https://sheepandwool.com/Support the Show.

S2E5: On this, the 5th episode of the second season (and perhaps the last- we're taking a TBD break), I have the pleasure of talking with Luke Concannon, New England-based, Old England-grown singer-songwriter and community builder. We talk about spirituality, finding hope in the midst of turmoil, creativity, and meaning-making, framed around his song Coventry. Thanks to everyone who has been on the podcast and everyone who has listened! I've had fun, and I'm ready for a break :) Check out all the prior episodes at dearballadeer.captivate.fm/. References:Books: Book: “Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art” by Stephen NachmanovichBook: “The Listening Book” by W.A. Mathieu Book: “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema ChodronMusic: Album: “Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine” by Declan O'RourkeNizlopi

Tony Leonard heads to Heidelberg to check out the Old England Hotel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Careful of Your Keepers, the sixth full-length album by This Is the Kit, ends with the mantra-like benediction of "Be Okay". It's a beautifully delicate place to land, after ten songs that navigate their way through a world full of actions, their equal and opposite reactions, and the inextricably linked, overwhelmingly human dance between beauty and pain.  It's an album that starts with a goodbye. Or more precisely, it starts with a track called "Goodbye Bite", which carries on with plenty of bite throughout. The lyrics and imagery are are full of teeth and clawing and chewing. As Kate Stables sings on the chorus to the song "Inside Outside" – quoting Ralph Wiggum's celebrated Valentine note to Lisa on an episode of The Simpsons – "Bite off as much as you can chew/ I chew chew choose you."   Kate Stables is the singer/ songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist/ banjo enthusiast at the heart of this project. She grew up and fell in love with music in Winchester, one of Old England's oldest cities. She then moved on to the magical music city of Bristol, also the birthplace of groundbreaking acts like Portishead and Massive Attack. It's been a couple of decades since she moved to the artists' mecca of Paris, along with her husband (and fellow musician/bandleader) Jesse Vernon.  She and her musical collaborators have quietly built a body of work that's seen This Is the Kit become one of the most revered and distinctive creative forces in folk music. Their much-acclaimed 2023 album builds on 20 years of creative evolution, and finds them collaborating with a hero of Kate's from back in her teenage years – Gruff Rhys, who came to fame as the frontperson for Welsh '90s indie rock deities Super Furry Animals.  During the course of a wintertime 2024 tour through Alberta, Kate Stables stopped off at CKUA's Calgary studios to share an illuminating conversation about the elliptical nature of reality, her musical beginnings and creative evolution, drawing inspiration from a century-old banjo discovered in someone's attic, her surprisingly robust connections with Canada and/or Canadian music, working with one of her heroes, and what she always carries in her handbag. 

#UK: #FRANCE: Springtime in Occitanie; and Raising taxes in gloomy old England and Scotland.despite the slowdown  https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/uk-recession-may-already-be-over-says-bank-boss/ar-BB1izL7I30 1912 Lorraine

PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE in your social media so others who loves strange and macabre stories can listen too! https://weirddarkness.com/real-stories-slaying-santas/IN THIS EPISODE: A Christmas party turns tragic when a young bride suggests a game of hide-and-seek… then disappears for fifty years. (The Bramshill Bride) *** When you hear someone mention the headless horseman it's almost impossible not to think of the New England story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – a classic Halloween tale if there ever was one. But then there is the Christmas tale of another headless horseman as well – this one in Old England - and he makes an appearance each Christmas at Wycoller Hall. (The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall) *** A husband invites his wife into the room and asks her to closer her eyes for a Christmas surprise. The surprise is that she will never open her eyes ever again. (A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting) *** A mother is terrified when her daughter tells of a young girl who wants to play with her – but she also appears to be dead. (Ghostly Warnings) *** A Redditor tells a frightening story that took place one Christmas while visiting his grandmother's home. (I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again) *** To disguise oneself as the ever-generous Kris Kringle only to take life away from the innocent is simply unforgivable. Still, somehow, murders committed by people dressed up as Santa just keep happening. (Real Stories of Slaying Santas) *** (Originally aired December 13, 2021)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Real Stories of Slaying Santas” by Jake Black for Ranker.com's Unspeakable Times:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ypav4v68, and Katee Fletcher for Thought Catalog: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4m8ur6tr“The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckp22x9“Terrifying Holiday Traditions” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3sv6kk6y“The Bramshill Bride” from BurialsAndBeyond.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxf6sf86“Ghostly Warnings” by Kathi Kresol from HauntedRockford.com“A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting” from ABC News: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kcny9kz“I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again” by Redditor u/rikndikndnkn123, posted at Bugged Space:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5bujx5npVisit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsorsJoin the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateAdvertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =OTHER PODCASTS I HOST…Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymagMicro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrorsRetro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradioChurch of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2023, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =https://weirddarkness.com/real-stories-slaying-santas/This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3655291/advertisement

Hour 3: DA of The DA Show joins FITM to talk Chiefs Dolphins, Is this it for Belicheck, Why would anyone hate on Holthus and much more, How important game 7's are to MLB, Bob's friend didn't know who Chris Berman is, Who in sports would you like to forget

Hour 4: Old England radio hosts have beef with Mitch Holthus and Legend Bob, The ratings for the Chiefs Germany game, What to do at Wide Recevier, Should he come to KC, Bink is worried about the tush push

The great Puritan Lords of England buy a readymade colony on the edge of the English world. Rumored to be a last resort refuge for nobles plotting against King Charles I, if everything were to go south, Saybrook was to be a place of peace. Nonetheless, the colony became consumed by the Pequot War. With the outbreak of the English Civil War, Saybrook struggled to find a new purpose as the Puritan Lords sought to remake Old England and abandon their plans to voyage to New England. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/osoa/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/osoa/support

7/13/2023The Gorgeous GardenerSeason 5  - Episode #39SUMMARYIn the grandeur of a British manor, a young butler named Leo finds unexpected love. Tasked by Lord Carlson to arrange a stunning gala, Leo encounters a novice gardener, more enchanting than the garden itself. In this hidden oasis, a love as forbidden as the secret garden is about to bloom.  *  Steamy Stories Official Website: https://www.SteamyStoriesPodcast.com  Steamy Stories podcast is a mm romance fiction podcast. Each episode is a sexy, short gay story told playfully. Steamy Stories is the podcast where bromance becomes bromosexual. A new story monthly! STEAMY STORIES is written by JC Calciano and guest narrated by Jack Turner. #podcast #lgbtq #gaystories #gayshorts #gaykiss #mmromance #mm fiction #gayromance #shortstories #fable #butler #bridgerton #oldenglandWe are thrilled to announce the latest addition to our Steam Room Confidential series – Steam Room Confidential: Volume 5. This exciting new volume is a collection of stories from your favorite podcast. For those new to Steam Room Confidential, it's a series of five male-male romance short stories from our beloved "Steamy Stories" podcast. Each book in the series delves into the world of gay romance, love, and self-discovery, bringin Sharing a podcast is the best way to show that you love it. Tell a friend, write a comment, or rate it on Apple Podcasts, and/or Spotify. A few stars mean a lot to not only the creators, but people like you who are wondering if the podcast is worth listening to. So, please. Share your thoughts!Support the show

What a week in sport!The lads argue about the 'Spirit of Cricket' which Ollie Robinson has demonstrated so well over the course of the first two games. The best cricket analyst in the world, Mason Cox summarises what really went down.Spida isn''t happy about a certain ruckman giving all ruckman a bad name, Brody has some breaking news regarding a certain Lion this weekend.Tune in and enjoy!Support the show

#england #cslewis #narnia #christian #christendom #fantasy #jacobites #kingarthur Connor speaks with acclaimed author and professor at Ave Maria University, Joseph Pearce about the Chronicles of Narnia. Discord link https://discord.gg/hWXVBVcW Sheen Rosaries link https://www.sheenrosaries.com/?ref=plotlines Where to find Joseph Pearce Narnia Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2NqiYwXrgj8KjbXETrtl1zPjc9ofZDhK list=PL2NqiYwXrgj8KjbXETrtl1zPjc9ofZDhK https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Converts-Joseph-Pearce-ebook/dp/B002LDM8PY?ref_=ast_author_dp https://www.amazon.com/C-S-Lewis-Catholic-Church-ebook/dp/B00HCP3D5K?ref_=ast_author_dp https://tanbooks.com/products/books/catholic-tradition/apologetics/further-up-further-in-understanding-narnia/ https://tanbooks.com/products/books/spiritual-warfare/virtue-vice/benedict-xvi-defender-of-the-faith/ https://jpearce.co/ https://staustinreview.org/ https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Giants-Catholics-Joseph-Pearce/dp/1586170775?ref_=ast_author_dp

Welcome back to ParaPower Mapping and the fifth installment of "The Secret History of MasSUSchusetts". It's a surprise double header! This was initially going to be one episode, but I got so obsessed w/ mapping William Pynchon's fur-trading monopoly and decoding the Rosicrucian wordplay in Thomas Pynchon's short story "Under the Rose" that I had to split it into 2. This episode covers:  our cont'd serialization of Winthrop the Younger's alchemical Rosicrucian plantation; the enabling of his settlement of the Pequot lands of Nameaug/ New London by his daddy's war against the Pequot; the complex territorial power dynamics b/w Winthrop Jr., the Mohegan chief Uncas, the Pequot Robin Cassacinamon, & the Connecticut & Massachusetts colonies; Winthrop's attempt to use his alchemedicine practice to consolidate power & respect among Pequot by posing as a "powwaw" (medicine doctor); Uncas's strategic wifing up & the rad counter-revolutionary moment when Robin helped a Pequot woman escape from her enslavement in Winthrop Sr.'s compound in Boston; Uncas & his war band's raid on New London—attempt to assert his power over Pequot villagers & make his tributaries return to his camp; the rare instance where the colonial authorities sided w/ Uncas (an indigenous sachem) instead of English grievances; Winthrop's enslavement of Robin; Uncas's obstruction of Winthrop the Younger's shipments of ore from his Tantiusque mine site... ...a brief Puritanical backlash against alchemy in the 1640s, & Winthrop Jr.'s ally Robert Child's house arrest; Child's dissident faction, which petitioned the colonies to change their enfranchisement laws & push MA + CT to become more religiously tolerant... ...William Pynchon's defense of Robert Child's crew; his "heretical" text The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption; William Pynchon family's gentry status & property-holdings in Chelmsford; his status as churchwarden & "Matthew Yglesias-like hall monitoring" of his fellow villagers (basically he was a pain in everyone's ass); Pynchon fam's decision to join the Puritan emigres to NE for economic reasons; his founding of Roxbury & Springfield; preexisting relationship w/ the Winthrop's; the tragic smallpox epidemic that killed 12,000 indigenous in the Connecticut River Valley in 1633, "clearing the way" for Pynchon's Springfield; Pynchon's land & fur speculation; his role as colonial treasurer; the Springfielders' belief that Connecticut indigenous cursed their settlement by invoking Hobbamock; Pynchon as magistrate & overlord of his village; his prosecution of Hugh & Mary Parsons for witchcraft, which may have acted as a convenient distraction from his heresy case; Pynchon's proto-capitalist system of keeping villagers indebted to him indefinitely so he could work them to death, particularly Hugh Parsons; witch's teats, purple milk, a calf w/ 3 heads, witch-y night terrors, UAP lights over Boston, bloody rain, & other "Memorable Providences"; Mary Parson's shock confession of witchcraft & death in prison; Pynchon's Biblical exegesis of the Atonement; & his return to Old England... ...a mapping of W. Pynchon's powerful descendants; Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables & the Pynchon fam's piss-iness that he "slandered" them; a glossing of Thomas Pynchon's early life, matriculation at Cornell, Navy deployment, Greenwich Village connections, & early writing career; a semi-close-reading (possibly schizo) of one of Pynchon's earliest stories, the spy-caper "Under the Rose" (which was repurposed in V. & Slow Learner), especially the rampant Rosicrucian symbolism & wordplay; his use of his colonial heritage; & other speculations... Songs: | Maas — “San Narciso” | | The Insect Trust — “The Eyes of a New York Woman” | | 15 seconds of... Dropkick Murphys — “Shipping Up to Boston” ...for comedic effect | | Sheb Wooley — “The Purple People Eater” | | Radiohead — “We Drink Young Blood” | | Greenfield Leisure — “Too Fat to Frug” |

Baseball is actually a British sport! After a typical Bostonian childhood, following the Red Sox and playing the sport up to college level, Chris Knoblock is now on a mission to grow the game organically in the UK. Chris shares his story of his background in baseball and his new job working for the National Development Agency for baseball and softball in the United Kingdom - what was the impact of Team GB's recent performance in the World Baseball Classic, how will the MLB London Series help to grow the game and what are his predictions for the future? https://twitter.com/bsuk https://twitter.com/cknoblock17 https://twitter.com/stuart_levy https://twitter.com/SwollenJawPod

England once had a King named Henry… eight times. The eighth and final Henry, until further notice, was a man who will be remembered for many of the wrong things such as his gluttony, obesity and so on. But he will be remembered most… for his wives.Three K(C)CatherinesTwo AnnesAnd one JaneKing Henry VIII married six women but only ever had one wife per timeSit back as your host, narrator and sole cast of this episode, takes you on a journey back in time, to Old England.As mentioned in the episode, click on this link! www.linktr.ee/whatajokepod

England once had a King named Henry… eight times. The eighth and final Henry, until further notice, was a man who will be remembered for many of the wrong things such as his gluttony, obesity and so on. But he will be remembered most… for his wives.Three K(C)CatherinesTwo AnnesAnd one JaneKing Henry VIII married six women but only ever had one wife per timeSit back as your host, narrator and sole cast of this episode, takes you on a journey back in time, to Old England.As mentioned in the episode, click on this link! www.linktr.ee/whatajokepod

Happy New Year... happy new HF/LC! In their triumphant march in 2023, Griffin and Chris take a closer look at the doom and gloom (and plenty of trade rumours) surrounding the Toronto Raptors, then try to stick each other with the worst slate of teams from the remaining NFL playoff contenders. Come for the sports, stay for New Edition and Flula Borg!

Adam Clewer, Old England native and current lead pastor in New England of South Shore Community Church in Boston, takes time to share the story behind Glimpse videos. Glimpse videos are creative works meant to give people a taste of the good news of Jesus so they hunger for more.

Find Weird Darkness wherever you listen to podcasts: https://weirddarkness.com/listen. PLEASE SHARE Weird Darkness with someone who loves paranormal stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do! Recommending Weird Darkness to others helps make it possible for me to keep doing the show!IN THIS EPISODE: A Christmas party turns tragic when a young bride suggests a game of hide-and-seek… then disappears for fifty years. (The Bramshill Bride) *** When you hear someone mention the headless horseman it's almost impossible not to think of the New England story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – a classic Halloween tale if there ever was one. But then there is the Christmas tale of another headless horseman as well – this one in Old England - and he makes an appearance each Christmas at Wycoller Hall. (The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall) *** A husband invites his wife into the room and asks her to closer her eyes for a Christmas surprise. The surprise is that she will never open her eyes ever again. (A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting) *** A mother is terrified when her daughter tells of a young girl who wants to play with her – but she also appears to be dead. (Ghostly Warnings) *** A Redditor tells a frightening story that took place one Christmas while visiting his grandmother's home. (I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again) *** To disguise oneself as the ever-generous Kris Kringle only to take life away from the innocent is simply unforgivable. Still, somehow, murders committed by people dressed up as Santa just keep happening. (Real Stories of Slaying Santas)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Real Stories of Slaying Santas” by Jake Black for Ranker.com's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ypav4v68, and Katee Fletcher for Thought Catalog: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4m8ur6tr “The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckp22x9 “Terrifying Holiday Traditions” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3sv6kk6y “The Bramshill Bride” from BurialsAndBeyond.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxf6sf86 “Ghostly Warnings” by Kathi Kresol from HauntedRockford.com“A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting” from ABC News: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kcny9kz “I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again” by Redditor u/rikndikndnkn123, posted at Bugged Space: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5bujx5np Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) used with permission. 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WANT TO ADVERTISE ON WEIRD DARKNESS?Weird Darkness has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on the show. Email sales@advertisecast.com or start the process now at https://weirddarkness.com/advertise = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46Find out how to escape eternal darkness at https://weirddarkness.com/eternaldarkness WeirdDarkness™ - is a production and trademark of Marlar House Productions. Copyright, 2021.

Welcome to October 27, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate breaking an unlucky streak and a beverage that is best served cold.  It appears that the myth surrounding black cats as bad luck is relatively new. This bad wrap is associated with the Puritanical view of witches and their supernatural pets. Starting in the 12th century, folks believed that a witch could transform into a black cat nine times. This is probably where their reputation for having multiple lives began too. But well before that, the ebony coated feline was a sign of good luck. From Ancient Egypt to Old England, Scotland and Japan, black cats were thought of as a symbol of good fortune. They were even given as a wedding present for hundreds of years. On National Black Cat Day, break with superstition and find yourself some good feline fortune.   America's love affair with beer started even before the United States was a country. In 1612, Dutch traders Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen established a brewery on what would become Manhattan Island. At the time, the area was called New Amsterdam and was a fur trading outpost. The winter that year was especially cold and icy, which made the workers very grumpy. To boost morale amongst their men, Block and his partner started brewing beer, which worked like a charm. While beer is consumed all over the world, here in the States we love it served icy cold. On National American Beer Day celebrate the season of chill by cracking open a cold one.  I'm Anna Devere and I'm Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At roughly the same time that Particular Baptists began to appear out of the Puritan and Congregational movements in Old England they show up in New England. Several men I have already introduced to you spent time in both places. For example, Thomas Patient pastored not only in London, Ireland, and Bristol but was also in New England. He migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s along with thousands of others seeking relief from religious conformity. While there, he concluded that infant baptist was unbiblical. This may have been as the result of hearing a series of sermons in favor of infant sprinkling. He claims in a later writing to not have known anyone to oppose it. But these sermons seem to have put doubts in his mind and he began to study the question. In any case by 1642 he was being accused in the Salem court records “of holding but also fomenting the error that baptism of infants is no ordinance of God and hindering his child from baptism. Gone away.” This makes it clear that he and his wife had at least one child and they refused to have him baptized. And it shows that he once again fled to a freer place from persecution. He eventually returned to Old England where his major work was to be sent to plant churches in Ireland.

Benny and RZ are back after a baby break, that took Ben to New England, and RZ to OLD England. Also Dublin. Benny and RZ catch up on that shit, and also make a series of keen oberservations and side-splitting jokes. Nothing new there. They also talk baseball as they always do about this time, AND send love to the great Vin Scully, as well as the great great Bill Russell. It's a pretty damn good time. Feel free to listen and find out. Sucka. 

The Gang sees a headless ghost. Highlights include New England vs Old England, Ghost disrespect,  and Written by Quentin Tarantino.

Welcome to episode 68 where Ron joins our friend from "Across the Pond" General Lee host of The Subconscious Realms Podcast to discuss current events and the little differences and similarities between New England and "Old England". Its a fun episode so sit back, enjoy and as always Thank You for Your Support! Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ronfromnewengland/ https://www.instagram.com/thewickedplanetpodcast/ Email us at thewickedplanetpodcast@gmail.com Join our Telegram chat https://t.me/wickedplanet Donate to the Wicked Planet Tip Jar via Venmo ( Ron-Lane-10) Follow General Lee on Instagram and to get additional links https://www.instagram.com/subcon_realms33/

After spending some time in the 17th century New England, I'd like us to return to Old England and to a man I've mentioned in passing before – that is the 7th Day Particular Baptist pastor, Joseph Stennett. He led the same church in London that Francis Bampfield pastored before his death in prison. Stennett was ordained to this work in 1690. And he actually has a family connection with Obadiah Holmes. When Holmes was pastoring in Newport, some of his congregation came to believe in the 7th day Sabbath position. This eventually led to a split and the formation of the first Sabbatarian Baptist church in the colonies. Stennett's father, Edward, also a 7th day Baptist pastor, maintained a correspondence with these Newport Baptists for a number of years, encouraging them in their work. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/support

We have moved our focus from England to the English colonies but we are still looking at Particular Baptist beginnings in the 1600s. Now it would be easy to assume that the religious environment was the same in both Old England and the New World, but that would be a mistake. Since each colonial settlement was established on separate terms and with a different mix of leaders and settlers, their religious situations varied. That meant that Particular Baptists faced differing challenges and opportunities depending on where they settled. Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/support

Ce soir, on découvre qu'il y a sans doute de meilleures occupations à Noël que d'aller préparer des tombes pour vos voisins. La créature du soir est un procrastinateur invétéré particulièrement mauvais en math !  . Contes des Soirs Perdus est un podcast de Lloyd Blake. Les musiques sont des compositions des frères Fiechter. .   Soutenez l'émission sur Tipeee ! https://fr.tipeee.com/contes-des-soirs-perdus . Suivez-nous sur Instagram et Facebook pour encore plus d'histoires sur les créatures du folklore. Instagram : @soirsperdus_podcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Contes-des-Soirs-Perdus-112409817109584 Notre site : http://contes-podcast.com/  

Like the podcast on Facebook – https://facebook.com/weirddarkness, follow on Twitter – https://twitter.com/weirddarkness, join the Weirdos Facebook Group – https://facebook.com/groups/marlarhouse, and sign up for the FREE email newsletter - https://weirddarkness.com/newsletter! Please SHARE Weird Darkness with someone who loves paranormal stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do! Recommending Weird Darkness to others helps make it possible for me to keep doing the show!IN THIS EPISODE: A Christmas party turns tragic when a young bride suggests a game of hide-and-seek… then disappears for fifty years. (The Bramshill Bride) *** When you hear someone mention the headless horseman it's almost impossible not to think of the New England story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – a classic Halloween tale if there ever was one. But then there is the Christmas tale of another headless horseman as well – this one in Old England - and he makes an appearance each Christmas at Wycoller Hall. (The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall) *** A husband invites his wife into the room and asks her to closer her eyes for a Christmas surprise. The surprise is that she will never open her eyes ever again. (A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting) *** A mother is terrified when her daughter tells of a young girl who wants to play with her – but she also appears to be dead. (Ghostly Warnings) *** A Redditor tells a frightening story that took place one Christmas while visiting his grandmother's home. (I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again) *** To disguise oneself as the ever-generous Kris Kringle only to take life away from the innocent is simply unforgivable. Still, somehow, murders committed by people dressed up as Santa just keep happening. (Real Stories of Slaying Santas)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Real Stories of Slaying Santas” by Jake Black for Ranker.com's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ypav4v68, and Katee Fletcher for Thought Catalog: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4m8ur6tr “The Headless Horseman of Wycoller Hall” from Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckp22x9 “Terrifying Holiday Traditions” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3sv6kk6y “The Bramshill Bride” from BurialsAndBeyond.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxf6sf86 “Ghostly Warnings” by Kathi Kresol from HauntedRockford.com“A Killer Who Thinks He Is Interesting” from ABC News: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kcny9kz “I'll Never Visit Grandma For Christmas Again” by Redditor u/rikndikndnkn123, posted at Bugged Space: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5bujx5np Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) used with permission. 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WANT TO ADVERTISE ON WEIRD DARKNESS?Weird Darkness has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on the show. Email sales@advertisecast.com or start the process now at https://weirddarkness.com/advertise = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46Find out how to escape eternal darkness at https://weirddarkness.com/eternaldarkness WeirdDarkness™ - is a production and trademark of Marlar House Productions. Copyright, 2021.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =00:14:38.603, 00:34:15.330,

An Old Songs episode for these hard times, and one featuring a legend I've long admired: Mr Billy Bragg.I had been meaning to record something on “Hard Times Of Old England” for some time, but hadn't had the time or contacts to do it justice. The coronavirus situation offered me time in abundance, and it just so happened that my ideal interviewee had some time spare, too.‘Hard Times of Old England' was a very important song to me as it was a real gateway into traditional music. For a song with so few entries into the VWML archive, it has had a huge reach in terms of artists who have recorded it. Take a look at its page on Mainly Norfolk for a full discography.Hopefully, this'll give you something interesting to do for an hour, whether you're self-isolating or just plain bored. Let's hope that these hard times will not last for long.What you'll hear in this podcastOther than the interview you'll hear with Billy Bragg, you'll also hear recordings by:Stick In The Wheel (and I also mention a previous interview with them, which you can find here)Ron Copper (in the podcast, I refer to this recording being by Ron, while Billy Bragg refers to it as a Bob Copper recording. The confusion comes from the fact that the same recording has been published under different names in different placesThe Imagined VillageJerry Bryant and Starboard Mess, singing ‘Roast Beef of Old England‘The Young Coppers' recording of ‘Hard Times of Old England‘The Copper Family. Hit up their website here.“The Tradesman's Complaint“

A nearby cairn marked the final resting place of Robin Hood. What with Robin Hood's Chair overlooking Ennerdale Water, Robin Hood's grave at Wicker Street, and our final destination of Robin Hood's Bay, the names, even if imaginary, lent a sense of place and time to the overall trail. Back at the farm, Sheila sent us off to bed with a cup of tea and a wedge of homemade cake.

A retired "Yankee" from New England travels to "Old" England to research his family tree. Renting a long abandoned mansion for solitude, he soon finds that the rundown, eerie place is haunted.

Long Ago This Was Considered A Good Wedding Present! Welcome to October 27, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate chilly beverages and breaking a bad wrap.  America's love affair with beer started even before the United States was a country. In 1612, Dutch traders Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen established a brewery on what would become Manhattan Island. At the time, the area was called New Amsterdam and was a fur trading outpost. The winter that year was especially cold and icy, which made the workers very grumpy. To boost morale amongst their men, Block and his partner started brewing beer, which worked like a charm. While beer is consumed all over the world here in the States we love it icy cold and if the weather is already frosty where you live, chances are you still enjoy a cold one. On National American Beer Day celebrate the season of chill by cracking open your favorite brew.  It appears that the myth surrounding black cats as bad luck is relatively new.  This bad wrap is associated with the Puritanical view of witches and their supernatural pets.  Starting in the 12th century, folks believed that a witch could transform into a black cat nine times. This is probably where their reputation for having multiple lives began too. But well before that, the ebony coated feline was a sign of good luck.  From Ancient Egypt to Old England, Scotland and Japan, black cats were thought of as a symbol of good fortune.  They were even given as a wedding present for hundreds of years. On National Black Cat Day, break with superstition and find yourself some good feline fortune.   I'm Anna Devere and I'm Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

Welcome to October 27, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate chilly beverages and breaking a bad wrap.  America's love affair with beer started even before the United States was a country. In 1612, Dutch traders Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen established a brewery on what would become Manhattan Island. At the time, the area was called New Amsterdam and was a fur trading outpost. The winter that year was especially cold and icy, which made the workers very grumpy. To boost morale amongst their men, Block and his partner started brewing beer, which worked like a charm. While beer is consumed all over the world here in the States we love it icy cold and if the weather is already frosty where you live, chances are you still enjoy a cold one. On National American Beer Day celebrate the season of chill by cracking open your favorite brew.  It appears that the myth surrounding black cats as bad luck is relatively new. This bad wrap is associated with the Puritanical view of witches and their supernatural pets. Starting in the 12th century, folks believed that a witch could transform into a black cat nine times. This is probably where their reputation for having multiple lives began too. But well before that, the ebony coated feline was a sign of good luck. From Ancient Egypt to Old England, Scotland and Japan, black cats were thought of as a symbol of good fortune. They were even given as a wedding present for hundreds of years. On National Black Cat Day, break with superstition and find yourself some good feline fortune.   I'm Anna Devere and I'm Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Det er mange innganger til temaet utenforskap. I sin utstilling Adieu to Old England på Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery i London portretterer Sverre Malling en gruppe av Englands esoteriske outsidere, blant andre Genesis P. Orridge og Tessa Farmer. Av ulike årsaker faller disse menneskene utenfor den kulturelle kanon, men ved å hylle dem i detaljrike blyanttegninger gir Malling dem en oppreisning, en posisjon de kanskje ikke hadde i sin samtid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interested in the Harry & Meghan Markle scandal? Want to learn about why the Royal Family is so interesting in this case, and why it's not so easy to decide which side is in the right? Listen to this informative episode where we discuss Sophocles's famous Oedipus Cycle, and we examine the philosophical issues that were raised by Oprah's interview by comparing what happened in ancient Thebes to what is happening now in Old England. Yes, it's a little click-baity, but don't let the lyin' mainstream media tell you what to think about this! Reason through it yourself!My Odysee Channel: https://odysee.com/@Godward:5?r=4A91ThmzLji3NFhSe45XMiCLpT8Y8RDQPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/Godward

Craig, Lee and Nigel are joined by Warren Barton to discuss the Euros, What chance do England have and what players deserve that seat on the plane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Old England still speaks to us on a misty mornThe magic is still is found in every dawnLet yesterday speak to tomorrow through youAnd find connection in the NOW that is trueOur ways are changing and being changedBy going within and without we escape the cage. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr. Len Gougeon, Distinguished University Fellow & Professor of American Literature Emeritus at the University of Scranton, speaking about his new study, "Culture & Conflict: New England, Old England & the Civil War", and the implications of his research for events unfolding in the U.S. in 2020/21. www.scranton.edu/

This episode is about how the wheels go round and round, but these are not on the bus.  Well, that's not entirely true.  But these wheels are the wheels of history, so to speak, and how things tend to just happen over and over. In this episode, we find that Cary, the pre-Civil War South, and Old England are on a stage in which each must play a part. In this case, the same part. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jocoyo/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jocoyo/support

Stephen Nissenbaum discusses the Puritan anti-Christmas campaigns in both New and Old England

Agnès Delahaye's new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop's New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop's tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630's. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists' commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop's Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye's new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop's New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop's tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630's. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists' commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop's Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye's new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop's New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop's tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630's. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists' commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop's Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel.

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agnès Delahaye’s new book, Settling the Good Land: Governance and Promotion in John Winthrop’s New England (Brill, 2020), is the story of John Winthrop’s tenure as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s. In a correction to the prevailing narrative of Puritans alone in the New England wilderness, Professor Delahaye shows the colonists’ commercial connections to the Old England and the Atlantic World and how earnestly the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Company maintained these through promotional writing, where their particular, innovative project of permanent settlement can be traced and contextualized. John Winthrop’s Journal reveals a deep desire for economic independence, or “competency,” born of his frustrations with his limited options in a cramped England, which he played out in a New World—a Promised Land—that he considered to be boundlessly fertile with possibility. Always expanding, Winthrop competed ruthlessly with the indigenous Americans in a “continuous process of rumors, intimidation, conflicts and negotiations, which Winthrop navigated with unwavering confidence in his own racial superiority” (p. 261). Settling the Good Land is a remarkable and magisterial study of a man who simultaneously held (and realized) these ambitions with one hand and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the other. Yet, he saw no conflict in them but rather the “fulfillment of his religious and personal calling” (p. 121). Professor Delahaye teaches in Lyon at Université Lumière Lyon II and is a member of the interdisciplinary Triangle Research Group which combines “action, discourses, economic and political thought” to better understand the meeting of political ideas and consequences. Last year she received the rank of habilitation to direct doctoral theses, the highest rank in the French academic system. Krzysztof Odyniec is a historian of the Early Modern Europe and the Atlantic World, specializing in sixteenth-century diplomacy and travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 81 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/michigan-and-other-mayhem/support

Inspirational Ray Elston is 81. He only started running at 50, and now runs almost daily, without injury and can still run a 52 min 10km. He represents England on the road and cross country and suggests it may not even be his best sport! How does he do it, and what can we all learn from him?

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast plays Celtic music. But not everyone will agree what that is. I define it…with great Celtic music! Lilt, Kennedy's Kitchen, Seumas Gagne, A Campo Traviesa, Graham Vincent/David Mitchell, Rising Gael, Farsan, Wilson & McKee, Alexander James Adams, Unquiet Grave, Eamon Friel, Dylan Walshe, Seldom Sober, The Round Table, Songs for Ceilidh, Ciunas I hope you enjoyed this week's show. If you did, please share the show with ONE friend. The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is dedicated to growing our community and helping the incredible artists who so generously share their music. If you find music you love, buy their albums, shirts, and songbooks, follow them on Spotify, see their shows, and drop them an email to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Remember also to Subscribe to the Celtic Music Magazine. Every week, I'll send you a few cool bits of Celtic music news. It's a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Plus, you'll get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free, just for signing up today. Thank you again for being a Celt of Kindness. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 With the new year comes a new votes in the Celtic Top 20. This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. Just list the show number, and the name of as many bands in the episode as you like. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2019 episode.  Vote Now! THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:02 - "Return from Fingal / The Unknown Reel / Frankie Kennedy's" by Lilt from X 5:45 - WELCOME 6:38 - "Theresa Kubiak's, The Malbay Shuffle, Are You Ready Yet" by Kennedy's Kitchen from The Whiskey of Truth 10:05 - "O Is Toil Agus Gu Ro Thoil Leam" by Seumas Gagne from Baile Ard O ISH HOL AGUS GU RO HEL LE-UM 13:05 - "The Torn Petticoat / The Pipe on the Hob / The Old Grey Goose (Danzas Tradicionales) (Irlanda)" by A Campo Traviesa from The Kid on the Mountain 17:56 - "Molly Oxford / Hard Times of Old England" by Graham Vincent/David Mitchell from The Preservation of Fire 23:50 - CELTIC FEEDBACK 28:13 - “Black Mountainside” by Rising Gael from IV 31:48 - "The Water Boiling Machine" by Farsan from Farsan 35:58 - "Boggies Bonnie Belle" by Willson & McKee from This Thin Place 40:50 - "Chickies in the House/Napolian's Rant/Duncan's Dance" by Alexander James Adams from Cat & the Fiddle 45:29 - "Bessie Bell and Mary gray" by Unquiet Grave from Ballads of Olde 47:37 - "The Old Songs" by Eamon Friel from Atlantic Light 51:48 - CELTIC PODCAST NEWS 52:40 - WHY “CELTIC MUSIC?” 55:59 - "Blind Is Blind" by Dylan Walshe from All Manner of Ways 59:38 - "The Foggy Dew" by Seldom Sober from Six Months of Confession 1:03:12 - "Here's to the Best" by The Round Table from Tales from the Turning Leaf 1:05:35 - "Cape Cod Girls" by Songs for Ceilidh from Falling Forward 1:07:33 - CLOSING 1:08:50 - "Maid of Culmore" by Ciunas from High Time The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts or to our website where you can become a Patron of the Podcast for as little as $1 per episode. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.   CELTIC PODCAST NEWS * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a Celtic musician and podcaster. This show is dedicated to the indie Celtic musicians. I want to ask you to support these artists. Share the show with your friends. And find more episodes at celticmusicpodcast.com. You can also support this podcast on Patreon. LGBTQ song recommendation WHY “CELTIC MUSIC?” Shannon Heaton published an episode called “The C-Word” on her Irish Music Stories podcast. What is Celtic Music is an article I published on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast website. TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through it's culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Because of Your kind and generous support, this show comes out every week and has done so since 2014. You can pledge a dollar or more per episode and cap how much you want to spend each month over on Patreon. Your generosity funds the creation, promotion and production of the show. It allows us to attract new listeners and to help our community grow. Plus, you get to hear episodes before regular listeners. When we hit a milestone, you get an extra-long episode. We are super close to getting a two-hour instrumental special. I want to thank our Patrons of the Podcast: You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast at http://patreon.com/celticpodcast.   I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com Tara Hierlihy posted on Facebook: "I just discovered this podcast and I love it! I want to suggest a band to you, but their music is hard to find recordings of (because they haven't bothered to record an album yet!) They are Occasional Pudding, from Ottawa Canada. and my husband is the bassist :) search them out on the web!" Meg Padell posted on Facebook: "Just started listening to latest episode Mark and just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU for sticking up for female Celtic musicians, women everywhere, and every marginalized group. Keep up the love ?, and always the great tunes??." Michael Cavanaugh posted on Facebook: "After listening to the opening comments of 418, my wife, Sam, immediately told me to bump up my pledge, and I loved doing it. Keep broadening our horizons, and screw the twits" Bob Harford posted on Facebook: "Really enjoyed podcast: celtic summer recess. The legendary rock band Traffic also had a great rendition of John Barleycorn. And the historical songs like A Lullabye (For Those Who Died) are one of my favorites -- I looked for the lyrics and couldn't find it though." Tim O'Connell posted a picture on Facebook: "Love the podcast, Marc – outstanding selection of music including tracks and styles I'd never find on my own! It is my office soundtrack including this morning whilst writing a handout for my students on evolutionary diversification of birds during the Cretaceous Period. Go raibh maith agat!" Kerry Fergason shared a picture on Facebook: "On a road trip this weekend I discovered that this little guy, named Squirrel, whines unless I am playing your Irish and Celtic music podcast. Thank you Squirrel whisperer! — in Dallas, Texas." Jessica Villegas emailed: "hello, i do not mean to ask but a long time ago there was a song i heard on one of your podcasts and it was Black Mountain Side or Time or Thyme and there was a female artist on there as well as a fiddle. i am trying to find that song again. thank you and Slainte!" Thanks Jessica. I’m gonna play a song for you in a moment. You can let me know if this is what you’re looking for. But I should also point out that you can go to the shownotes at celticmusicpodcast.com and use the search feature. Nearly every show is listed there. If you know the song title or band, you should be able to find it. Or do a quick google search for the few lyrics you might know and THEN do a search. Good luck! #celticmusic #irishmusic #whatiscelticmusic

Edith Wharton, nee Jones, (born New York 1862, died aged 75 in France) was a famous American novelist. Her nickname interestingly was Pussy Jones. She was very high society and was a debutante and socialite. She was also a very good writer. Wharton wrote best-sellers such as The Age of Innocence, which won the 1921 Pulitzer prize, and Ethan Frome. She also wrote short stories, and among those short stories were several ghost stories. I think the first scene shows Wharton's mastery of her art. She introduces the three ordinary, taciturn men who are summoned without knowing why to the house of stern mrs Rutledge. She sets the scene: it's an isolated, rural area with primitive customs. Even more isolated at this time of the year because of the snow. Then she introduces the issue of her husband dilly-dallying with a revenant to much consternation and anger. The first scene ends with the dramatic entry of Mr Rutledge, who has precious little to say for himself. The characters are so well drawn and we end with a promise. The themes of rural isolation and old customs held by primitive folk is echoed throughout the later weird literature with Lovecraft making judicious use of it in the same New England, and then the Folk Horror films of the 1970s do the same in rural Old England (and Scotland for The Wicker Man). We see the same theme of rurality and superstitious ancient customs in this year's folk horror movie Midsommar, set in Sweden. And then the party breaks up. By chance they go to the scene of the haunting earlier than planned. There, Brand shoots someone in the ruined house (another trope). They've seen footprints on the snow both too light to be human and the snow too cold to be borne by a living person, so that seems to set up the ghost as real. But who does Brand shoot? Then the ghost's sister dies. Did Brand shoot his own daughter? If he did, then this is no ghost story, but presumably the Rutledge's knew the difference between the dead and living daughter? Unless old Saul Rutledge is just an old dog and knows fine well that the flesh he's enjoying is warm and alive but it suits him to portray it as a haunting... I don't know. After the funeral, Mrs Rutledge's plain ordinary words seal the community as a coming back to their plan old ordinary ways, the "forbidden things" as the Deacon repeats, put away (but not forgotten) Next week, I think I'm going to do Lovecraft's Dagon, though I am being pulled towards Le Fanu's Carmilla, which is quite long and would need a couple of episodes. We shall see. Don't forget my book of new ghost stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XRQSBRK (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XRQSBRK) And for those of you so inclined, there's my Patreon also so you can support my work. www.patreon.com/barcud (http://www.patreon.com/barcud) https://paypal.me/gospatric (https://paypal.me/gospatric) http://cash.app/£JohnAnthonyWalker (http://cash.app/£JohnAnthonyWalker) Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/barcud) (https://www.patreon.com/barcud) Support this podcast

Doff your top hats, polish your monocles and join Nancy and Drew in jolly Old England for Episode 7!

We review Australia's win over England in the World Cup match at Lord's. Talking points: England flirting with elimination, Australia hiding their fifth bowler and thatball from Mitchell Starc Participants: Peter Miller (@thecricketgeek) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) * Related: Peter Miller and Dave Tickner: 28 Days' Data: England's Troubled Relationship With One-Day Cricket Sriram Veera: Knock, knock, anybody home?

The American Civil War. Already happening? Democrats toy with Impeachment. Their next boomerang. John Cleese stands up for Old England. Matt Dunn of Backbone Radio guest-hosting the Chuck & Julie program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While listening to this episode we recommend you keep your seatbelt fastened as turbulence could occur at any moment...

Hello and Merry Xmas, it's me Roifield without David, we thought we'd give you an episode of songs that remind you of England. We asked you on Facebook to nominate your most English of ditties, so as you pull your crackers we give you some songs that made England!Michael Wheal - Vin da Loo!Alison Mary Hebborn Remember 'singing ' Jerusalem on a coach to the hotel after a Czech /English wedding.The Beatles - I want to hold your hand.Stephen Bōden wrote on the facebook page, “I vow to thee my country” deserves a place on any such listAbide with me', it was nominmated by one David CrowtherA Song of Patriotic Prejudice by Flanders and Swann: which was nominated by Patrick Adams. Stephen Bōden wrote that In these days of austerity, I reckon there’s a place in our national discourse for “Hard Times of Old England”.The Human League's - Don't You Want Me" unmistakably the moment the Second British Invasion, hit The StatesBlur - Park LifeWaterloo Sunset - The Kinks was originally entitled "Liverpool Sunset".On Facebook Richard Lyle opted for Always Look On The Bright Side Of LifeLets All Go Down The Strand And Have A Banana.Baddiel and Skinner’s - Three Lions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Support the show at patreon.com/literaryhangover Alex and Matt talk Anne Bradstreet's "The Prologue" and "A Dialogue Between Old England and New," originally published in 1650 in The Tenth Muse, lately Sprung up in America, a collection often said to have been published without Anne's full awareness and which saw her become the first poet, male or female, from the "New World." We also discuss the context of patriarchal repression illustrated by the Anne Hutchinson trials and the place of women in colonial New England. @LitHangover @mattlech @Alecks_Guns References: 'Mistress Bradstreet: The Untold Life of America's First Poet' by Charlotte Gordon (2005) 'The Many-Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic' by Peter Linebaugh & Marcus Rediker (2000) Full book here: (https://libcom.org/library/many-headed-hydra-peter-linebaugh-marcus-rediker/) Elizabeth Klett's recording of "The Tenth Muse" at Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/tenthmuse_elizabethklett)

Humans are the only animals that cook their food, an innovation that changed the course of our evolution and the trajectory of the planet. But how did we tame those early cooking fires and put them in a box—and what can subsequent leaps forward in heating technology tell us about cuisines and culture? This episode, we’re taking you on a whirlwind tour through oven history and science, from the legendary roast beef of Old England—and the special dogs bred to turn the spits on which it hung—to the curious origins of the microwave in military radar technology. What do we gain and lose when our ovens change—and how might understanding that help with the quest to bring better cookstoves to the developing world?

It's a story about knights, queens, deep green forests, and clean air In Old England Town. (Or not.) (11:08) (Also available on Stitcher, Google Play, and TuneIn.) (Song Facts music, "Sunday Morning" by Nicolai Heidlas from www.hooksounds.com)

Betsy tells Marcy the real story of Annabelle.We have Mike Mitchell "The Spoon man" (Love & Doughboys Podcast) telling us about his childhood scares in New England. We also have a listener story from Old England too!Fun fact Marcy and Mitch play lovers in the short film 'Relationship Goals.'This week's episode is sponsored by Ritual. Subscription based vitamins, essential for women. https://ritual.com/funnyfeelingPlease send us your own true paranormal experiences in either a voice memo or e-mail to funnyfeelingpod@gmail.com.

Sam Cates: @SamCates | GE Ventures Show Notes: 02:01 - What Corporate Investing Looks Like 03:48 - Presenting Ideas For Funding 09:01 - Democratizing Venture Capital 10:17 - ICOs and Cryptocurrency 13:53 - Evaluating Companies to Fund 21:09 - Investing in Potential Competitors 24:42 - Looking For Funding as a Company 28:04 - “Mentoring” Ideas/Companies 30:07 - Monitoring/Evaluating Company Metrics 32:47 - Putting Together a Basic Business Plan 36:05 - Making Choices: Investor and Company-wise Resources: Resin.io Series A, B, C Funding Angel Investor Seed Money Initial Coin Offering (ICO) AngelList Crunchbase Fred Wilson's Blog: (AVC.com) Transcript: CHARLES: Hello everybody and welcome to The Frontside Podcast, Episode 92. My name is Charles Lowell, a developer here at The Frontside and I am your podcast host-in-training kicking it off in 2018. [Inaudible] of our first episode. We've got Elrick also joining us. Hello, Elrick. ERICK: Hey. How you doing, Charles? CHARLES: I'm doing well. I'm doing well. You having a good new year so far? ERICK: Yeah, it's great. There's a snowstorm passing through today. So, I'm going to break in the New Year shoveling. CHARLES: Let us know if we need to parachute in some shovels for you. ERICK: [Laughs] CHARLES: And then with us today, we have Sam Cates on the show who is… a lot of times we have developers on the show. He's actually a venture… what would you describe yourself as? SAM: Yeah, I'd say I'm a venture investor with GE Ventures. So, on the corporate investing side. CHARLES: Okay. Now, I didn't even know that GE actually had a corporate investing side. Is that pretty common for a large company? SAM: You know, it's becoming increasingly common. I think in 2015 there was actually a peak of activity coming from corporate venture capital groups. And I've only seen the number of firms escalate since then. Although the dollars invested stays pretty consistent. But if you look at a lot of big companies, particularly in the common tech world like Cisco, Google, Intel, they have historically had large venture firms inside of themselves. And then GE and a lot of other industrials have since followed suit. We've been at it for about five years and we see it increasingly. CHARLES: And so, have you been with them since the beginning? SAM: Yeah, just about. I've actually been with GE for about nine years now. So, I was on the operating side in a number of the industrial businesses before I joined GE Digital and then GE Ventures. And so, it was just after GE Ventures got kicked off. CHARLES: Oh, that's exciting. So, what is it… now, we actually got connected to you through one of the companies that you actually invested in. It's something that we use and we're very interested in. Why don't you tell us a little bit about what your job looks like on a day-to-day basis and what companies you invest in? SAM: Sure. I really focus a lot of my time on Internet of Things companies. So, that's a really big trend that GE has been a part of and a leader in over the past few years. And so, we spend time investing in companies that are directly working with GE or playing in similar spaces to us. And so, Elrick and I actually met at a hackathon for one of those companies. And I always like to use that as an example because it's a good one, to demonstrate the kinds of investments we make. And that's Resin.io. I know you guys have done an episode or two talking with them. But that for example was a ‘Series A' investment that we made about two years ago. And then company essentially helps developers build connected products. And so, that's something that GE cares a lot about. We had people inside the company who found the product and loved it and that's actually how we met. CHARLES: When you say ‘Series A', can you give a brief overview of what the different stages of funding of a startup might be? SAM: Yeah, yeah, certainly. So, maybe if I take a step back and answer your original question on what I do on a day-to-day basis. A lot of my job is meeting with all kinds of new companies, whether they be early stage, usually things that would be seed funding – and we'll go into what some of those things mean – all the way through the late stage which would be companies that are maybe on the border of going public or are already profitable. And so, if we go into what kinds of investors there are, I think that's probably an interesting subject to talk more about. But they're a whole wide variety. When I said ‘Series A' I just meant a company that was at what we would call the ‘Series A' stage, and the letters act just like you'd expect. So, there's ‘Series A', ‘Series B', ‘Series C', and so on. And they all, they tend to look similar at those stages in terms of sizes and progress. But there is a range, and no two company is the same. ERICK: In today's world, it's very easy for people to create a startup. They can write some code and they can either come up, get a Raspberry Pi or some microcontrollers or whatever it is, and either do an IoT startup or a software startup. Now, when you get to the point where you have an idea and you kick it off initially, how do you go about then saying, “Let me get some funding.” How do you even get funding? SAM: Sure, yeah. And to your point, there's a huge range of technologies that are making it easier to start almost any kind of company. It's a great time to be an entrepreneur, whether it be 3D printing for hardware products, all the technologies that you were mentioning, AWS, all this stuff is contributing to reducing the cost to allow companies or people to create companies. And so, once people have gone out and experimented with some of these things and built what they think is a product the market wants, often if they require more money which may be for acquiring customers through things like Facebook Ads or simply doing further product development to make sure the product is somewhere that more customers could use it, often they can't finance it just through their own revenue. And so, there are typical stages and types of investors that people go approach looking for money. ERICK: Okay. What are those Series? I remember you mentioned something like a ‘Series A' investment. So, initially when you're looking for an investment, is that where you would… category you would be in as a startup looking for investment? They would consider you a ‘Series A' startup? SAM: Well, I want to caveat and just say every company is different. So, I see companies that… ERICK: Gotcha. SAM: Start out at a much later stage because they're able to bootstrap to that point. And bootstrap is the word that I use for a company that funds its own investment. They get paid by customers and they use that money to continue building the product. But if I talk about the range of types of financing a company may go for, I think the way that most people categorize this, first people often raise from friends and family or angels. And so, it's just money to get off the ground and maybe to pay the rent while you're doing some of that experimenting we were talking about. And then commonly after that is a seed round. And a seed round tends to be a little more institutional. So, it's maybe a more formal set of funds who exclusively invest in companies that are often pre-revenue but they have a product, or at least the beginnings of a product. And so, that's a really common category of investors. And then you get to ‘Series A' and the letters can escalate from there to the point where… ERICK: Gotcha. SAM: There can be some later rounds when they'd be ‘Series F' or even beyond, I guess. CHARLES: Right. So now, what are generally the terms on these? So, for my angel investments or my seed investments, I assume what distinguishes these is essentially how much ownership of the company you're getting for how much money. And those kind of, those change as the product solidifies. SAM: Yeah. CHARLES: And the potential becomes more visible. SAM: Yeah, it's a wide… and again, these are all… the venture is a world of ranges. There's a really wide difference between the two ends of any spectrum. So, I'll just talk in generalities though. So, I think the latest report that I've seen at least for an annual basis was PitchBook's 2016 report. And they were laying out some of the medians. So, for seed stage deals I believe it was something like one and a half million dollars raised was the median on a pre-money valuation of six and a half million. And that just means the company is worth, investors say the company is worth six and a half million dollars today. And we're going to give you a million and a half dollars invested at that price. CHARLES: So roughly, a sixth… they would take a sixth of the company then in return? SAM: Yeah. CHARLES: Okay. ERICK: Ah. CHARLES: Okay. ERICK: Okay. CHARLES: I see. That makes sense. So now, back to Elrick's original question. If I'm, I've got my product. Or I've got this idea. I've written some code. I've turned it into a prototype product. Maybe I'm moving through these various stages. What type of VC am I going to be looking for? How do I actually find the right type to be talking to? I guess what types are there even? SAM: Yeah. And one part… we mentioned a lot of the technologies that are making it easier to start companies. One part that also makes it easier is the proliferation of financing options, whether it be even more investors in these traditional structures we talked about like seed and A. And then there are other options that are emerging, things like you see a lot of people raising through what they call Initial Coin Offerings or ICOs. And then there are also things like AngelList which are attempting to democratize the investing process, make it more accessible. So traditionally, a lot of the seed A, B investors, they tend to be network-based, which can be a challenge for a lot of people that are maybe not in Silicon Valley or not a part of that network already. And so, one thing you can do is obviously go search databases that are on the web, things like Crunchbase. It's a free resource. It has a lot of deal history for investments that people have made. And it's a great resource for knowing, “Okay, this investor cares about these things.” And then in addition to that, there are also platforms that people can put their companies on. Like I mentioned, AngelList. And that's somewhere that you can list your company, you can meet investors, and they actually have some backend to actually support the investing process as well. CHARLES: So, there were two acronyms in there, or two specific technologies. [Chuckles] CHARLES: You talked about ICOs which I assumed that you said it was Initial Coin Offering. Not like insane clown offering. [Laughter] CHARLES: Which I would love to see. And then AngelList. So traditionally, these had been very network-based which brings to mind the capitalists of Old England or whatever where there's a bunch of people with cigars in a room and I realize it's not actually like that. What are each of these things? The AngelList and the ICOs? And how do they democratize that process? SAM: It's funny you should mention the old times. I think a good example of that is there are a lot of stories about the founding of General Electric. It's a 126-year-old company and back then it was largely, it was Thomas Edison working with I believe was JP Morgan to get it off the ground. And so, today there's still a bit of the network piece you're mentioning. But I think of AngelList as a place that you can essentially market to investors. If you think about the types of people that are on there, it's people that are looking to invest money in early stages in startups. And I'm not a big user of AngelList because I tend to be investing a little bit later. So, I really recommend anybody who's interested, just go check it out. It's I believe just Angel.co. CHARLES: And what about an ICO? SAM: So, an ICO is a more modern one. And it's kind of fraught with some concerns around regulations and transparency today. But I think since Thanksgiving there's been a massive wave of conversation about cryptocurrencies. And an ICO is essentially a way of creating your own cryptocurrency. The way I always explain to people, I love the analogy that people make around, think of it like I want to go build an amusement park. And in that amusement park, everything, rides, food, everything, is going to be denominated and payable in Sam-bucks. CHARLES: Ah, right. SAM: And… [Chuckles] And so, my options… CHARLES: [Laughs] That makes sense. SAM: Yeah. And my options are I can go to a bank and borrow money, I can go to investors and say, “Hey, give me the 10 million dollars it's going to take to build it,” or I can just go to the people in the place where I'm building it and say, “You want this amusement park to exist? Why don't you pre-buy these Sam-bucks?” And each one is going to cost a dollar today. And we create this universe of Sam-bucks and they're essentially valuable once you can use them in the park. And there are certainly exceptions. There are other versions of cryptocurrencies and other uses for them. But that's a conversation for another day. CHARLES: Ah, mm. SAM: I think that's just a good, easy way to understand it. CHARLES: Oh no, I like that. It's like, well not quite like carnival tickets. But yeah, that's something that everyone's familiar with. Same thing as the Xbox Marketplace. Very similar thing. So, the idea is you would buy a bunch of Sam-bucks… you would get them at pennies on the dollar, so to speak, today. SAM: Yeah, right. By the time it opens, maybe a hotdog would cost just one Sam-buck. CHARLES: Right. SAM: Whereas, when it's coming in, we'd have to spend five dollars to get that one Sam-buck. Right, the idea being those people who got in early will be rewarded. And you can see it's like a further extension of a Kickstarter or something else that you're allowing people to pre-buy into a network. CHARLES: Right. Right, okay. I can see that. ERICK: That's very interesting. [Laughs] CHARLES: And so, it's got a range of options too, because if you're really interested in the services you can go ahead and spend them on the services and get a lot of value that way or you can actually trade for someone who does want the services if you don't. SAM: I think that's exactly right. And it's just, the one that I think I would just caveat is there is a huge amount of concern at the moment, and maybe concern is too strong a word, but uncertainty around one, what are the value of these coins, these tokens? And two, how will governments react to something that looks potentially like a security or a currency? And so, that's something that still is being worked through. And even though they haven't figured that out there's still a massive amount of money being raised through these ICOs. CHARLES: [Laughs] So, it does beg the question. Why is a cryptocurrency necessary? Why not just use Xbox Marketplace points? Why not just say, “Here are Sam-bucks.” SAM: [Chuckles] CHARLES: And there's a row in my database. [Laughter] CHARLES: That's your balance of Sam-bucks. SAM: So, I think we're about to get way beyond the [inaudible] [Laughter] SAM: But I think the argument would be that some of these things are better decentralized. So in my example, you're right. That might just make more sense. But I think there are some examples around cryptocurrencies that are supporting a network of decentralized services where a centralized database historically was inconvenient or didn't provide the amount of transparency that people were looking for. CHARLES: Right, right. SAM: And so, that's a topic for a whole other podcast. CHARLES: Yeah, right. No, it makes sense. SAM: [Laughs] CHARLES: I think it's a matter of scale, right? If you're going to be just buying services but if you're going to have secondary markets where you're trading in this currency, I can see that. So, let's… [Chuckles] We'll reel that back in. SAM: [Chuckles] CHARLES: And ask a question that occurred to me. So now, we talked about your day-to-day. What exactly, when you're looking at a company to basically give money to, what are you looking for? What are the things you're like, “Oh man, I want to throw dollars at this company,” versus, “Mm. I'm going to keep them and give them some feedback and send them on their way.” SAM: There's always a set of factors that we evaluate. And I think the waiting is probably different for different types of investors. And then there's I'd say for me as a corporate VC being a part of GE, there's an extra lens which is, how is this relevant to GE? What does it mean for GE to be an investor? But if I think about just the kind of general industry lines it's: team is a really big one. So, who's building this company? Do I believe in their ability to reach this vision that they're laying out for me? Another one would be technology. What have they actually built? Is that hard to build? Do the things they want to build in the future, will those be hard to build? And do they have the skills and the people to do it? Then their technology, maybe an extension of that would be intellectual property. And besides intellectual property, just defensibility of a business in general. So then, you start thinking about, can somebody else just come along and to the same thing? Because if so, then maybe there's not a strong advantage in what the company has done so far. And then lastly, it's also just traction. How far along are they? How much have they proven the ability to execute on the plan that they're laying out? CHARLES: Right. ERICK: So, you're a corporate investor. So, there's other types of investor like an institutional VC? What are the differences between an institutional VC and a corporate VC and the other types of VC? Potentially what they'd be looking for, in terms of what they wanted best. SAM: Yeah. So, I think generally I categorize investors as institutional or corporate. And corporate [inaudible]… ERICK: Yeah. SAM: Corporate or strategic. And then there are people who exist on a spectrum there. But generally, an institutional means this is a group that is raising money from a set of limited partners who are the people who invest in the fund that are pension funds or wealthy individuals. They're large pools of institutional capital and their pure purpose is to earn return. And they may have a certain focus because they believe in this part of the market, or they like this kind of company or the stage of company. But essentially, their job is to return more money to the limited partners of that fund that were put in. That's their role in the world. And then on the corporate side, if we go the most extreme version of corporate VC, this is a group that is a part of a larger corporate. They're investing that company's money. So, in this case for me it's GE. I'm investing GE's money into these startups. And that means that I only have a single backer being GE. And I also maybe have a different lens, because my purpose is one, to earn financial return. I want to go out and I want to find good companies. I want to earn returns just like the other institutional venture capitalists. But I also have the goal of, and the strategic goal may differ by company, but for me it's about how can I help GE advance? How can I help GE understand a market? And how can GE be helpful to this company in achieving their goals? And so, for each company we use that lens as well, as a corporate. CHARLES: What I'm hearing is that you want to invest… I guess the thing is you can experience return that's not just cash. It's not just dollars. You'll experience return in raising the ocean of the business that GE is in, right? So… SAM: You said it much better than I did. [Laughter] CHARLES: Well, it's all… paraphrasing is actually easy. [Laughter] ERICK: Oh, yeah. SAM: An important skill. CHARLES: That makes a lot of sense. So, the question I have then is, you said you were looking for companies that kind of swim in a specific ocean. And each company is farther along. Are you usually finding this company I want to work with, like you are going out and finding them? Or they're coming to you looking for investment? Or is it really just, depends. SAM: So, we call that part of the process sourcing, sourcing investments. And they come from all over. So for us, there are a few different ways. One is we tend to be thesis-driven. Meaning we go out and we say, the world is changing in this way and therefore we're interested in this kind of company. And so, we'll proactively go out and research. We're also, I mentioned, a little later stage. So, I don't tend to do seed investments. I tend to do ‘Series A' and more often ‘Series B' and later. So, companies that have often already raised a seed round or raised a ‘Series A' round. So, I can actually search databases to say, “Okay, in the last two years who has raised a seed round or ‘Series A' round and these other things I'm looking for whether it be location or tied to investors or other things.” So, that's one way of being proactive is saying I want to go out and look for companies in this space that look like this. And that can be either like I mentioned, desktop research like searching the web, searching databases. Or it can be just going to conferences, right? So, on thing we spend a lot of time on in the IoT world is artificial intelligence and machine learning. It's been a big, big topic over the last year that a lot of people have invested in. So, we may go to different conferences that focus on that topic, meet lots of people that are working on it. Some companies, some individuals that are either investing in or advising their companies. And we'll talk to them. What companies are rising out of that space that we should be looking at? What technologies are changing in that space that we should be thinking about? And just trying to get smarter so that we can make the right investments and help the right companies find their way to work with GE and make our products better and help them advance their own enterprise. CHARLES: Are you investing with a mind that eventually GE might acquire this company and integrate it into GE itself? Or is it really just, “Hey, we're just going to take a part of it. We're going to have maybe a seat on the board to be able to steer a little bit. But we're pretty much going to let it be its own thing with its own autonomy and go where it was and just benefit through those secondary and tertiary effects.” SAM: Yeah, acquisitions from our portfolio by GE happened. But they're certainly not the explicit goal or our focus. I know we've had one, maybe two of our portfolio companies acquired by GE, one that I was directly working with called Bit Stew. So, we made the investment in the company. It was with the goal of using their data management platform for a lot of our applications. And at some point in working with GE and GE Digital, they decided, you know, this would make sense to be a part of GE. That wasn't why we made the investment. But it did end up being acquired by GE. And I know the team is doing really well. And it's been at GE for about a year now. So, it does happen. But when I said one or two, that's versus a portfolio of a hundred plus companies. CHARLES: Right. SAM: Since we started investing. And so, that's not what we're looking to do every time. Much more often it's about again, how does the company make GE more competitive and a better company, a better place to work. And then how do we help them advance their goals? Whether it be bringing them developers, or finding them other routes to market, or just being a customer. CHARLES: Right. SAM: So, that's really how we think about strategic value. There's a lot of different ways to create it. CHARLES: Yeah, I'm curious. Because it seems like also in a lot of these companies you're investing in potential competitors. Extensively you're operating if not in the exact same market, maybe very similar markets. There's a little bit of overlap. And so, you're kind of investing in potential competitors, right? So, where's the balance of here we're funding our competitors versus we're going to move into these markets ourselves. SAM: Yeah, and funding of “competitors” can happen. I think that we talk about that more in theory and say, “Oh sure, we'd be willing to fund a company that's out disrupting the space that we're playing in.” And we do that. It's rare that you see startups that are directly head-on competing with much more established companies like GE or other industrials or even other consumer companies. They don't take these companies head-on because that's not a way that startups have been successful in the past, right? We talk much more about disruption and saying, how is this company doing something that may indirectly compete with GE? So, you think about things like, for anybody that's not familiar with GE… actually, a lot of people associate us with our appliances which we actually don't manufacture anymore. That's [inaudible]. [Chuckles] SAM: We sold that business a few years ago. Almost everything we sell is like big, heavy industrial equipment. So, we sell aircraft engines, locomotives. We sell gas turbines, wind turbines. So, here and there a couple of things that do power generation. One trend that's affecting that industry is distributed generation of energy, energy storage. And those are parts of the market that are a less significant part of GE's business than say, heavy-duty gas turbines that sit in a power plant and generate a massive amount of power. And so, if you look at that and say, “Wow, GE Ventures is out funding storage companies. Does that mean they're funding competitors?” Well, it means that we're funding innovation that may disrupt the future of our business, but that's part of being a VC and that's part of the value that GE Ventures brings to GE. CHARLES: Right. SAM: We're out there looking at markets before they're large enough or in scope for GE. CHARLES: Mmhmm, right. And so, yes you're disrupting the space but then you're going to be a part of that disruption and have strong connections to those markets if you need to actually migrate your business completely over to them. That's kind of what I'm hearing. SAM: Yeah, absolutely. Better to disrupt yourself, right? CHARLES: [Chuckles] SAM: And be a part of the ecosystem in the future because I think the future happens with or without you. And it's really key that we get out in front of it and a part of that, a part of that discussion, a part of that process. CHARLES: And so now, you've been saying that this is, GE, this has been pretty explosive? There's a lot more happening through GE Ventures. There's a lot more happening in other companies globally, having these corporate ventures. Where do you think the balance is going to lie to say, “Hey,” I'm just going to throw out some numbers, just for theory here, it's like, “10% of our business is essentially this distributed network of semi-autonomous or mostly autonomous startups. And then we have our core business.” Does that stabilize at 50/50? Does it stabilize at 75% the other way with GE essentially becoming a capital management company? Or is it somewhere in the middle? SAM: So, GE Ventures will never be a meaningful part of GE's revenue, a meaningful part of its business as a percentage. The overall venture industry is full of funds that are on the order of like, bigger funds are on the order of, in the billions. The single-digit billions. And GE itself is a much, much larger company. Well over a hundred billion dollars in enterprise value. So, I think GE Ventures will always be a small part of the company financially. And the impact will be largely felt through how we help the rest of GE navigate the future. ERICK: You said that sometimes you go and look for companies, startups to invest in or sometimes startups come to you or come to a VC looking for funding. Now, I'm a developer or a startup founder. And I'm going to look for funding. What are some of the mistakes or pitfalls that you see that startup founders or people with an idea fall into when looking for funding that you can help them avoid? SAM: Yeah, and we do see companies that come to us. So, I mentioned a lot about how I go out looking for companies based on a thesis or a set of relevant factors or relevant things for GE. But we do have a number of inbound requests. People know some of the bigger VC brands. They know GE the big company. So, we do get inbound interest and we also get referrals from networks of VCs and some are employees and other things. But for the companies that are seeking us out, the ones that are going out looking for funding, there are some things that are really well-known in Silicon Valley and other places, or you could research online and find, but may not be obvious at first. And so, I think the first one is, who are you talking to? What investors are you seeking out? Depending on what stage you're at, what kind of business you're in, you have to understand what the landscape of potential investors are and which ones might be interested in a company like yours. So, I think there are tons of good mentors that can help people navigate that. Maybe less commonly outside of Silicon Valley, in Boston, New York, in the places where you have traditional venture ecosystems. But you see a ton of resources available online whether it be things like Fred Wilson's blog, AVC.com, or Crunchbase, TechCrunch. You can read and understand and from headlines tell what people care about. And I think that's fundamentally a really important first step. You don't want to waste an hour talking to somebody who will never… this is somebody that invests in really late-stage growth equity companies and I'm coming to them for my first investment. That's not going to work. So, I think finding the right people, step one. I think when you're going through the process of pitching and talking about your business, the pitfalls are all about understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your business and where you are today. And so, for every company, that's different. But I think just being open and honest versus glossing over a lot of the risks, these are all really risky companies. If they were easy, then you'd have a lot more competition. And so… [Laughter] SAM: I think that's one thing that I see, too. You have some company that comes in and say, “Look, here are the parts I've figured out and here are the parts I still have to figure out.” And that's a really good conversation to have. There are other companies where they say, “Look, we've figured the whole thing out. We just want you to give us some money.” And I don't think a lot of investors necessarily buy into that. And certainly, there are investors of every stripe. So, I may be speaking too broadly. But I think that's a really important part of the venture investment process, right? You're looking not just for money but also for counsel and for somebody that you're going to work with over the next, sometimes seven years or longer. CHARLES: Yeah. SAM: [Inaudible] going to be on your board and participating. So, it's a really important part. CHARLES: So, you're looking, you're actually looking not necessarily for all the answers but you're looking for the questions that they're asking, too. SAM: Yeah, absolutely. And demonstrating they understand the ins and outs of the business. And that they have the capacity to carry this onto that next stage and hopefully beyond. CHARLES: Mmhmm. So, now you said something that caught my interest there that you work with some people sometimes seven years. You enter into these long relationships. Do you generally ever do any type of, I want to say almost like… mentoring might be too strong of a word, but in the pre-investment, in other words before you actually invest in a company, do you ever work with them to prepare them for investment to say, “Hey, I think there's potential here. Work on A, B, and C and then let's talk.” And you have this image in your mind. You go, you pitch to an investor, and it's either thumbs up or it's like thumbs down and you never talk to them again. Versus, is there some ground in between where there's a conversation that evolves that eventually ends up in an investment being made? SAM: Absolutely. I think one of the parts of this industry is even when I'm not an investor in a company, I may know a company and say, “It's not a fit for me for GE Ventures but I still think that we can provide help.” It's one of the things I love about tech and about venture in general, is that people are often willing to pitch in, even when they don't have a direct financial incentive. And so, I see that a lot whether it's helping a company where we've met them and we later see an opportunity and say, “Oh, you should go and talk to this company or that company.” And then often, we may see a company that's pitching us ahead of where we would typically invest. Maybe they're looking for a ‘Series A' but given the space that they're in or what we're doing at the moment, it may not be the right time for us. And so, we'll continue to track along and keep up and get updates. Some companies do a really good job of actually providing proactive updates and sending out monthly or quarterly reports to investors they've met with before. I think there's a wide range of ways that founders do this. But it is a really good way to keep people interested in the prize. And then when you come back and say, “Hey, now I'm out raising my ‘Series B',” that's not a surprise. I knew that you were hitting these milestones, that you were doing everything you said you were going to do. And you've demonstrated a level of credibility that really adds to the pitch that you made the first time around. ERLICK: You said something, metrics. So, a venture capitalist, after they make an investment, what are some of the expectations that they may hold this startup that they just invested in… what are those expectations that they may hold them accountable for? Or those metrics that they'll be looking at? SAM: Yeah, so I think some of the really high-level ones that are common across businesses, generally growth is a really big one. So, I almost said revenue. But I wanted to caveat… [Laughter] SAM: And say growth could mean different things. It could mean number of developers. It could mean number of downloads if you're an app. It depends on what the business is. But I think growth is a huge one. Growth is a really important, that top line, that's what's going to drive a lot of the value in the business. And then below that, demonstrating that you can hit the milestones around things like margins. So, how profitable is each unit you're selling? Or how profitable is each customer? And lastly, how are you doing managing your spend? So, that's great that you're earning the right amount of money for each customer, but are you doing it by… do you have a massive number of employees and offices and all the things that are too expensive to allow you to use your money wisely as you reach the next stage? And so, those are the big milestones. It's really just growth, margins, and operating cost or burn rate as we call it. CHARLES: Mmhmm. So, that sounds like a lot of work to actually evaluate these companies. Do you do your due diligence once you've already moved in pretty solidly into the process? SAM: Yeah, these processes can move really fast. And depending on the timing, generally it's, you jump in, you learn as much as you can, as fast as you can, and you make a decision so the company can move on. I'll say there's a lot of work that goes into considering and deciding which companies to spend more time on, both for us and for them. We don't want to waste a company's time evaluating, going through more meetings, if it's not a really strong candidate for us. Because they could be spending that time better with other investors who are a better fit. And I'm not going to pretend to like the evaluation part. I have a lot of respect for the amount of not just work but of a person's energy and really, their life goes into these companies. And so, I think the hard part is building the company. And so, it's hard for me to say that evaluating is a hard part. I'm trying to understand as much as I possibly can in a month or two. I'm not going to know as much about the business as the founder does. And I'll be wrong a lot. I may miss something and not understand, whether it's because I don't see the market but it's there or because I have some underlying assumption about the way things should work that they don't meet. And I think that that's something that investors have to come to grips with. You try and get as smart as you can as fast as you can, but you're not always going to get to the right answer. ERLICK: You said that it was growth, spend, and profits were some of the metrics. That is almost all of the essential components of a business plan. I remember one time, one of our previous conversations, you emphasized how important it was for companies, or even at just a simple startup, to put together a basic business plan. Is that something that you can elaborate on a little? SAM: Yeah. So, most companies show up with a pitch deck. So, they have a set of PowerPoint slides and then they have a set of materials behind that where if you go deeper into an area they may have a white paper about their technology and they may have an Excel financial model that explains why they have these expectations about what growth and margins and all those things will look like. So, there are all of those pieces that come together into a business plan. The business plan could be written or it could be that PowerPoint. But very traditionally, it's a PowerPoint or some kind of presentation that is shared in person. There's usually a version that's sent in advance to confirm that the company and the investors should meet. And then once you clear that bar, there's a deeper presentation that often you'll give to either one or a set or a whole team of investors. And you'll go through and explain why it is you think this is a good investment opportunity for them and why you'd like to work together. And then you have a discussion about whether that's a good fit, about some of the underlying assumptions, and come to either a set of next steps for the diligence or a decision that it's not the right fit, it's not the right time to take the relationship further with more diligence and that kind of stuff. ERLICK: Yeah, because I see… well, I know a few people that have startup ideas and they kind of put the business plan on the back burner and put the actual prototype more at the forefront. They say, “Oh, we can worry about the business plan later.” [Laughs] SAM: [Chuckles] Well, I think… there's something to be said to that. There's something to be said for product and growth winning. So if you… Let's start at the early stages. If you have something that's working and that's really obvious, you may not need a… ERLICK: True. SAM: To go raise money. It all comes down to, do you have enough to get enough investors interested to raise the round that you want to raise? Because you want to have enough investors involved, enough demand, that you can be selective about who you want to work with and on what terms, right? So, what valuation and how much of the company am I giving them, and all of those things. So, if you can do all of those things with nothing but an app and one chart that shows a hockey stick of growth, that's awesome. CHARLES: You're hot. [Laughter] SAM: Often it does require much more and a much longer plan. So, even if you say, “Look, it's growing like crazy,” there's usually some set of questions behind that. So, that's great. Your free app is growing like crazy. How are you going…? [Laughter] SAM: To get paid for that? And you'll talk about that. And you'll say, “Here are the things we're planning on doing,” or here are the assumptions that we're making. And the more original, the more unique the business model is, the more discussion and explanation that may require. And that's where the business plan and a pitch deck come in handy, because it's a really good presentation aide or pre-reading to get to that answer faster. ERLICK: So, this evaluation it seems, is a two-way street. The VCs evaluating the company and also the company or the startup evaluating the VC to know whether it's going to be a good relationship. SAM: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, the best companies have choice. They have a number of investors who are interested in funding them. And certainly, that might be different at different stages or at different times, depending on what's going on in the economy and in tech and in other places. But generally, VC is a very competitive industry. I'm trying to sell my money and services as an investor versus other options that you have. And so, while it's maybe not as competitive as only one of us can buy the company like in an M&A situation. There are often more than one investor. There's still a very intense set of competition around, okay, who's going to be involved in the deal? How much money will they be able to invest? So, that's something that really can come in handy for founders. ERLICK: And what was that you just said there? M&A situation? SAM: Oh, sorry. When a company is being bought. So, when a company is being bought, it can look kind of like a fundraising process, but instead of selling a part of a company, you're selling the whole thing. And so, in that case, obviously it's a competitive situation where there's only one winner. And this is a different process. Often, the rounds that we're a part of, we're not… we're buying a minority stake just like any VC. We may be buying 5% of a company, 10% of a company. And often we're being joined by other venture investors. We really actually commonly partner with the institutional firms and they'll take a board seat. We'll invest alongside them and be an observer on the board and provide counsel. And so, it is a very competitive process. And that, while M&A is a winner-take-all, there is one buyer who is ultimately going to own this company going forward, the investing process for a venture is much more collaborative. But it is still competitive, because there can only be so many investors in one company. CHARLES: And you want to choose the right one on both… the right set. Alright. Well, I think we're running up against time. This has been a fascinating conversation into an aspect of our industry that really is providing the fuel that drives so much of this forward. So, I guess I'll close by asking you, already talked about Resin. We had them on the podcast. We love them. Are there any conferences or products that you're investing in that you feel like our audience might want to know about or anything like that? SAM: Well one, you mentioned Resin. CHARLES: Yeah. SAM: I know you guys have been a good friend to them and Elrick and I met at their hackathon. I would recommend to anybody, go try it out. It's a really cool way to play with hardware products. I am not a developer and I required a lot of help from Elrick at the hackathon. [Laughter] SAM: But at the same time, it is something that almost anybody can pull out of a box and start playing with. So, I think that's a great one. The episode you did on them were fantastic. So, I really enjoyed those ones. I'd say in general, I'm always out looking to meet new companies that are going to benefit from working with GE. I spend a lot of my time not just trying to invest but also trying to find partnerships for companies that we're looking at within GE, either selling to us or working with us. And so, if somebody thinks that there's an opportunity to do that, then I encourage them to reach out. Because I think there's a ton of opportunity. It's a really big company that really has a ton of opportunity for other partners. CHARLES: Alright. If they wanted to reach out, how would they get in touch with you? SAM: Yeah, I think maybe the best way to initially make contact, I tend to be pretty active on Twitter. So, my handle is just @SamCates. S-A-M-C-A-T-E-S. And you can also learn more through our website. If you're curious about some of the businesses I mentioned, so just GEVentures.com. And it's about to go through a whole refresh. So, go check it out. CHARLES: Alright. Well, fantastic. We will definitely look for that. And for everybody else, you can get in touch with us on Twitter at @TheFrontside or send us a line at info@frontside.io. Thank you everybody for listening. Thank so, so much Sam, for being on the podcast. SAM: Yeah, of course. It was a blast. I'm a big podcast fan and I've really enjoyed catching up on your episodes. CHARLES: Ah, and thank you Elrick, always. ERICK: It was great. SAM: Elrick, when you finish building your Raspberry Pi Battleships, I want to play. CHARLES: [Laughs] ERICK: Oh, yes. Yes. It's in the works, man. It's in progress. SAM: Alright, I'm waiting. CHARLES: Alright. Well, take it easy, everybody.

Simon Hughes and Simon Mann bemoan a disappointing end to England's promising first day at the SCG See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stand up and Stout! Weyerbacher's Tiny, a Belgian-style stout balances out the top of the episode. We travel from New England to Old England and back only to wind up in Texas! Does anybody know why you'd want to visit Texas to visit a goat? Find out on this week's MiYM!

Last Friday I made a 24-hour trip to Boston. Gelind was on business and I went to carry her bag and to see a city I’d wanted to visit for as long as I’ve been in the country. I was familiar with the original Boston, the one in Old England. It is on a geographical feature called the Fens – which is as flat as a pancake and about as interesting. There aren’t even many trees. I used to live near there, in a town called Peterborough. I was ordained in Peterborough Cathedral, but that is possibly the least boring event that has ever occurred in the town in its 1,900-year history.

Off-The-Cuff Podcast Guest: Gem SwallowGem Swallow from sunny old England pays us a visit. She sings songs from a new version of My Fair Lady, captures a werewolf, and turns into a cat. Plus, why Chad doesn't normally sing... Our special guest today is Gem Swallow, host of the Imagination Within podcast. She's in live […] The post OTC 009: Gem Swallow from sunny old England appeared first on Seattle Improv Classes.

The Beauty of the Wedding Day So I have a problem that happens every time I officiate a wedding, which I did yesterday. I struggle not to cry. This is a problem for me. And I don't remember it happening before a wedding about 15 years ago. I just asked Caroline, this was Eric and Lori’s wedding, and my daughter Caroline served as the flower girl, which was fine. But I didn't realize they were going to dress her up like a little bride. And that was rough, because as she came down that aisle, right there and I was standing right down here, something came over me. And I started getting weak in the knees as I projected forward and I said, "Oh Lord, may it never be." I don't want to give her up to some dude. She looks so beautiful and so cute and I was melting and then I thought, "Wait, I've got a wedding I perform. This isn't good." And it happens... Doesn't happen every time but it happens a lot. I mean weddings are very special. In a few moments, I think in the life of a man, are as powerful as the moment that he sees his bride for the first time on the day of their wedding. The way we do it here at this church is a dramatic pause and everyone rises and the doors at the back of the church open and there she is. And she's labored on her appearance like no other day in her life. And her hair is perfect. Cosmetics are perfect. The jewelry's perfect, sparkling. The dress is perfect. She'll never look better than she does at that moment. And the bridegroom in particular, I think, must drink in that beauty and the joy of that moment in a different way than anyone else there because he knows that at the end of that ceremony, the end of that day, she will be his wife and they're going to be joined together in a sacred covenant of marriage. A mysterious covenant that pre-figures, that acts out like a prophecy of future union between Christ and the bride. Every Christian wedding that I've ever observed has followed this kind of pattern. Ephesians 5:32 says that marriage is a profound mystery, patterned after the eternal and perfect union between Christ and his bride, the church. Now, the consummation of that union awaits all of us. It's in the future. So just like I did for Caroline, I projected forward. But this beyond to the end of all history, to the point of it all, to the end of the story of redemption comes a wedding. And it's depicted for us powerfully in Revelation 21 verse one and two. The apostle John wrote these words, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new Earth, for the first heaven and the first Earth had passed away and the sea existed no longer. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband." The radiance of the church, the new Jerusalem, in John's vision was stunning. It was blinding. Her beauty was perfect. Ready for her bridegroom. Christ Jesus comes and takes her to himself in a marvelous act of unity between God and redeemed humanity. Every Christian wedding ceremony is a foretaste, a type, a shadow of prophecy of that future reality. However, there is a significant difference in our culture, not in every case, but often on that day the bridegroom doesn't even look at the bride before that moment and has contributed, I can assure you, nothing to her appearance that day, nor is he qualified or capable to do so, for the most part. He contributed nothing to her beauty. He just enjoys it and drink it in. But the radiant beauty of the bride of Christ, the church, the heavenly Zion, the new Jerusalem is completely the work of the bridegroom. Jesus Christ found his bride corrupt, defiled, ugly through rebellion, defiant in her heart, spiritually dead. And He redeemed her by His own blood and He raised her from the dead spiritually. He washed her with water through the Word in order that he might present her to Himself as a radiant bride without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless. Throughout every generation of church history, Jesus Christ has been preparing his elect in the same way. Little by little, preparing his bride for that glorious future wedding day. Every beam of her glory on that day will be his. Every sparkle of her radiance, every holy aspiration now consummated, every passionate desire for him, he will have worked all of that in her by the power of the Holy Spirit. He has been preparing his bride to be glorious for his own enjoyment for 2000 years and he's not finished yet. And when she is completed, she will descend from heaven. She will come down from God perfect. She will be a work of heavenly power by Almighty God. All her glory will be His. And when the new heaven and a new Earth finally come, they're going to shine with the glory of God. But nothing in that new creation will be more glorious than the church, the bride. It will be the pinnacle of God's achievement. She will be as Proverbs 12:4 says, "the crown of her husband." Or as Ephesians says, "the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Now, what does that have to do with Isaiah 62? Well, I think Isaiah 62 is best interpreted as a first-person description from Jesus of his relentless, passionate zeal to perfect Zion for his own enjoyment. Utterly, relentlessly committed to getting Zion ready for that day. As we already noted, Zion is the new Jerusalem, the people of God, the church, the different ways of looking at it, but it has to do with God's people, Zion. I. Christ’s Passionate Zeal for Zion’s Glory (vs. 1) And we see right away in verse 1 Christ's passionate zeal for Zion's glory. Look at verse 1. "For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake, I will not remain quiet till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch." Isaiah's not an easy book to interpret. It's hard. I think for me, my perspective, it's vital for us to read Isaiah 62 verse 1 with its first-person voice. "For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake, I will not remain quiet," etcetera. First-person voice, we have to read it properly. Someone is speaking passionately about his commitment to Zion's glory. That's what's going on. No matter how you interpret it, you see that. Now, in the last chapter, if you were to go back one chapter, last week we looked at Isaiah 61:1 and 2. There it said, "The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted and to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Well, in both Isaiah 61:1 and Isaiah 62:1, it's easy to see the first person as Isaiah the prophet himself, he's just talking about his commitment to preach and to teach, etcetera. Jesus, at least, solves what Isaiah 61:1 was talking about when he rolled open that scroll, as we looked at last week, and began his ministry there in Nazareth by going exactly to Isaiah 61:1 and reading those words, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor," by saying to the assembled people there, "Today in your hearing this scripture is fulfilled." In other words, "This is me speaking to you across the centuries through Isaiah." It's not Isaiah. This is Jesus speaking, Isaiah 61. Well, I think it's good to just go ahead and take that on into 62:1 as well. We should take the same approach. I believe this is Jesus speaking again. And he's saying he will never stop preaching the good news, he will never stop speaking, he will not be quiet, he will not be silent until Zion is glorious, radiantly glorious. I think if you do that, the whole chapter just comes alive in powerful ways. "For Zion's sake," this is Jesus speaking, "I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake, I will not remain quiet till her righteousness shines out like the dawn and her salvation like the blazing torch." It is Jesus who will not keep silent, it is Jesus who will not remain quiet. He's going to keep on speaking to Zion. He's going to keep on talking to Jerusalem until she's radiant like a blazing torch and shining with glory. Now, just as Jesus 's mission in Isaiah 61 was essentially one of proclamation, the ministry of the Word, so also here, Jesus will not keep silent. He's not going to remain quiet. He's going to talk to his bride. He's going to speak to her. And he's not going to stop until she's perfect, because she's not perfect yet, she's not finished, she's not complete, there's more work to be done, she has to be yet more glorious than she is now. So what that means for us as we understand it more fully, is that there are elect chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world who have not yet been converted. They have not yet been reached with the gospel. They have yet to be brought in. And beyond that, those elect that have already confessed Christ but who have not yet been glorified still have to become more and more radiant and more and more glorious through sanctification, through growth and holiness. So there's still work to be done on Zion. There's massive work still to be done on Zion until her glory is perfected as described in Revelation 21. But in this chapter, it's not just Jesus who's called on to not be silent. We're actually invited in in this chapter to get involved, to share his zeal, his relentless zeal for this whole project. We're supposed to care about this too. So later in the chapter, he says he's going to post watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. And he's going to command them to give themselves no rest and to give him no rest, those that call on the Lord. So they're to be talking relentlessly until at last Zion is the praise of all the Earth. So the Christian reader of Isaiah 62, I think, is drawn quickly into the zeal of Jesus for his bride, the church. And we, as we read this, are challenged to be every bit as passionate and relentless and zealous as he is about the perfection of the church. Now, Christ's goal for Zion is radiant salvation. According to verse 1, Jesus is going to keep on speaking to his holy Word, to his bride, until she is perfect in his salvation. So Ephesians 5 just comes in, for me as a husband, I read this. All of you husbands can read this, and those of you that just know about Christian marriage, you know these words. Ephesians 5:25-27, "Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word. To present her to Himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. So the goal that Jesus has is plain: Radiant, glorious, blameless, final salvation, perfection. And His means to the end is the word, the ministry of the word. As the word does its work, she will be made ready. And that final radiance is magnificent. Revelation 21 and 22 are all about the radiance of the new Jerusalem and how beautiful it's going to be. How perfect. Revelation 21:9-11, one of the angel says to the Apostle John, "'Come, I will show you the bride. The wife of the lamb.' And he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, and it shone with the glory of God and it's brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel like a Jasper clear as crystal." And again later in that same chapter, Revelation 21:23, "The city, new Jerusalem does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the lamb is it's lamp." So the new Jerusalem is described as having streets of transparent gold, never been able to figure that out. Transparent gold, but everything in the city seems like the walls of the city have these jewels, these 12 different colored jewels. But everything's permeated, eradiated with the glory of God. It's just shining radiantly with the glory of God. And this must be the future glory of the people of God collectively. But each individual member of the body of Christ, we will have our own radiance and our own glow about us. If you can say it that way. Like Jesus said in Matthew 13:43, "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." How beautiful is that going to be? So in Isaiah 62:1, Jesus is saying His heart is burning with zeal. He will not remain quiet. He will not stay silent, He's going to keep on talking, He's just zealous about this, He's going to keep on preaching His holy word, until Zion is perfect, and fully righteous and holy, and pure in His sight, free from all darkness and free from all defilement. And friends that is going on right now. It's going on right here in this room. By the grace of God. By the presence of the Word. By the presence of the Spirit. And it's going on all over the world, today, wherever the word of God is being preached and taught faithfully by gifted servants of God. The word of God flowing and the bride is getting ready. And wherever Evangelists and missionaries are sharing the gospel and speaking in the darkness the word of life and people are coming over from darkness into light, from death into life, this is happening. Jesus is doing it all in the Spirit. He's talking to His bride and making her beautiful. And it's amazing for us as we contemplate the darkness out of which we came. And you really have to go on in Christian maturity and study to realize just how dark it was. You didn't realize how dark it was when you were in your lost condition and even maybe when you first converted, you didn't understand just how dark at all really was. But the scripture tell us. Colossians 1:13-14 says, "For He, [Christ] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the beloved Son. In whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins." And then Ephesians 2 says, "As for you, you are dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live when you follow the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who has now work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts, like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." Later, in Ephesians 5, he says, "For you were once darkness, but now, you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light. So as we are progressively made more and more radiant in holiness, then the next part of Isaiah 62 comes true. The nations are drawn to the brightness, the increasing brightness of Zion. As Zion becomes more and more radiant, more and more beautiful, the lost people are attracted to the light. They're drawn in. II. Zion’s Glory on Display for the Nations (vs. 2-5) Look at verses 2-3, "The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings, your glory, and you'll be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow and you will be [speaking to Zion] a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand. You will be a royal diadem in the hand of your God." So God is going to put the increasing radiant beauty of His church on display to the people still living in darkness. And they're going to be attracted to that beautiful light. They're going to want to be part of it. So you think about the stories of radical transformation, the conversion that's happened. Obviously, a New Testament example par excellence, is Saul of Tarsus. How he was living a life of self-righteous darkness serving Satan and trying to destroy the church. He was proud and ambitious and covetous and he was zealous and energetic for his own glory. But suddenly, the heavenly light of Christ's resurrection glory shone around him on that road to Damascus, and he fell to the ground. "'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting… Now, get up and go into the city and you'll be told what you must do.'" And immediately Saul went from destroying a church he hated. To building a church he loved. Everything changed. And his life became very mysterious and perplexing to some, very attractive to others. He went right away and began preaching Christ in the synagogue in Damascus. He then was thrown out of the city, had to escape through a basket. He goes to the church in Jerusalem and they're stunned by this transformation in him. And it says in Galatians 1:23 and 24, "'The man who formally persecuted us, is now preaching the faith, he once tried to destroy.' And they praised God, because of me." And then this Paul began a life of relentlessly, zealously passionately building Zion. Building the new Jerusalem by the preaching of the gospel. And people were attracted to the changes they saw in him. And then they began to change too. You think about Thessalonians, the people of Thessalonica. How it says in verse Thessalonians 1, "They turned to the living God from idols, to serve the living and true God and to wait for his son from Heaven, Jesus." And so the report of their change went throughout that entire geographical region, everyone heard about it. Same thing with the church of Rome, probably the most famous local church in the world. And they turned to God from idols and started serving God. And so the nations were attracted to the light. They were drawn in, as Jesus said in the sermon on the mount, "You are the light of the world. The city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither people light a lamp and put it under a bowl, instead they put it up on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who's in heaven." So as we shine with this heavenly light, this transformed life. A life of holiness, a life of service, a life of conspicuous love for each other. A life of rejecting materialism, of living for the future, of living for the glory of God, a different kind of life, people are attracted to it. They want to know how do you have this kind of peace? How do you have this kind of joy in your life? I don't have it and they're drawn in. "The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." So here we see Zion's population is every increasing. As the church becomes more and more glorious, it gets bigger and bigger. It's a cumulative effect. I remember my last winter in Massachusetts, the snow... We had six different blizzards before we went and finally escaped, escaped Massachusetts. And all of that snow. And we had no where to put it, it was cumulative, it never went anywhere. November's snow was still there. It just kept accumulating, accumulating but it wasn't glorious to me. But this for thousands of years, the elect, the redeemed have been accumulating. And Zion is getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger, it never takes a single step back. It only gets bigger and more glorious. We can't see it with our eyes but it's happening. It's just going to get larger, look at verse 4, "No longer will they call you deserted or name your land desolate, but you will be called Hephzibah and your land Beulah. For the Lord will take the light in you and your land will be married." Now obviously, the language here harkens back to the situation that was about to come on the Jews of being evicted from the Promised Land and going into exile to Babylon, which hadn't happened yet, it was still a century away in Isaiah's time. But he can see with the prophetic eye, the day when the remnant would return from Babylon, the exiles from Babylon, they would rebuild Jerusalem and repopulate the Promised Land. And that's what happened. The overwhelming majority of the Jews that were alive during the time of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion were killed by the sword, famine and plague. A small remnant went into exile. For 70 years they were there and then they started coming back in the days of the Persian kings. In the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and they rebuilt. Now Jeremiah was the prophet who prophesized the Babylonian exile. And when they were finally deported, when the last of them were gone, Jeremiah I've always pictured in my mind just sat there maybe on the Mount of Olives or some other place and looked out over Jerusalem, the smoldering rubble. Lamentations 1:1, "How desolate lies the city once so full of people." But God had predicted that the city would be rebuilt. God had predicted that the land would be repopulated. And some see Isaiah 62 as that kind of thing, "No longer will your land be called deserted or your streets empty." But honestly, just like you heard Ben Weigel read, it's too small a thing for you to do that. It's too small a thing for these words to only talk about that straggling remnant of a few thousand Jews that came back and rebuilt Jerusalem. It was a hard work. The streets were filled with rubble. It was so depressing that Nehemiah's brother wrote to him talking about the desolated state of the city. When Nehemiah went, he couldn't ride around the city on his donkey because of the rubble everywhere. Then once they started building it back up, as I've mentioned before, the temple built under Hagga was so small and pathetic, that the old timers who remembered Solomon's temple, and all of it's glory, just wept. No, no Isaiah 62 is talking about something far more glorious than that, bigger than that. That was a type in a shadow but it's bigger than that. This is the building of something infinite and glorious, radiant. So when it says, no longer will they call you deserted or name your land desolate, but you'll be called Hephzibah and your land Beulah, he's talking about, I think, the streaming of the nations to the heavenly Zion through the gospel of Jesus. Which had been talked about again and again in Isaiah's prophecy, all the way back in Isaiah chapter two, verse two and three. It says, "In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains. He'll be raised above the hills and all the nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say come, let us go up to the mountain with the Lord. To the temple of the house of Zion." That's the population. This is something bigger than just the rebuilding of Jerusalem. And the Lord will delight in Zion's glory. The word Hephzibah here, means literally, my delight is in her. Hebrew for my delight is in her. That's what God's going to name her, my delight is in her. The land Beulah means married. The text actually uses a marriage analogy for the land. God will take perfect delight in his people and in the land and marry Zion. So this speaks of his saving intent, not just toward his people, but also toward the Earth itself. God has a love for the Earth. And there will be a new heavens and there will be a new Earth and there will be a new Jerusalem. And all of the groaning and the defilement and the bondage and the curse of Adam's sin will be banished from the Earth. And it's going to be better than it was, the Promised Land promised under Moses and Deuteronomy where he said, "You know, that land that you're entering, you're about to enter, it's a land flowing with milk and honey. It's not like you had in Egypt, where you had to irrigate the land with a foot pump, it won't be like that." But rather it's a land that the Lord, your God, cares for throughout the year. The eyes of the Lord are on it throughout the year and it drinks in the rain from heaven. And that was talking about the land of the Canaanites, Perizzites, Hittites and Amorites and Jebusites. This is talking about a perfect land that's coming even better than that. Far better than the land flowing with milk and honey. This is going to be a perfect world. Zion’s Sons Delight in Zion’s Glory Now, here we have to turn the corner because not only is God delighting in all this, but Zion's sons delight in it too. And we've got to get drawn into this. And this has to matter to you or you're just off message of what God's doing in the world. You have to actually care about this too. So look at verse five, it says, "As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you." Now the sons are doing the marrying here. "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." Back to God, again. So the sons are marrying Zion, committed covenant of love for that work and God is in it too, and he delights in it as well. This is the consummation of every love that we've ever had in this world. Every love we have for father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife. Every love there is and beyond that really the love that many have for their homeland. The love you have for your native land, the land of your birth. Many nations feel this very strongly. They write classical music about it. They talk about the fatherland, the Germans talk about the fatherland. Russians talk about Mother Russia. Sailors that are gone, back in the days of sailing, when they come back to Old England they would just immediately kneel down and kiss the ground. Kiss the ground just to be back in your homeland. The love that you had for the land itself and what it's like to be in your own home country and to see that those familiar sites, and the comfort that it brings to you. That's going to be consummated in the New Heaven, the New Earth, and the Heavenly Zion. You'll love the land. Just love it and you'll be married to it, in a sense. And note how it says again about God, that he will delight over Zion. He'll take delight like Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love and he will rejoice over you with singing." Like God singing love songs to his bride. He's just going to sing over us. What would that sound like, God singing? It's amazing. And so our hearts will swell with joy and lavish piece as our eyes drink in the glory of all three, the New Heaven, the New Earth, the New Jerusalem, will drink in the beauty and the glory of it. And what will such a world look like? And what will it be like to explore such a world? How much will that bring us delight to find pockets of God's glory and we'll have all of eternity to explore it and see the radiance of God shining in that world. Now for us, we don't have to wait for the future to love it, we should love it right now. We should love the church now. You should be committed to the work of the Church of Jesus Christ, right now. And that's in these two journeys we keep talking about, internal journey of holiness. Love Zion by growing in holiness and helping brothers and sisters do the same. Disciple each other, pray for each other, hold each other accountable. Speak the word of God to each other so you grow in holiness. That is the radiance of Zion as it grows. And then the external journey of evangelism and missions. Evangelism, right here in this triangle region. Share the gospel with lost people. Talk to them about their souls. Use the season, Christmas, as a springboard. But just talk to them. Love the work of Zion, love the church right now. III. Relentless Watchmen Posted on Zion’s Walls (vs. 6-9) In verses 6-9, we have these relentless watchmen posted on Zion's walls. These are beautiful verses. The Lord appoints here and charges watchmen. Look at verse six and seven, "I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest and give Him no rest, until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the Earth." So here, I believe the Lord is calling on the people of Zion to devote themselves fully as he is to the glory of Zion. The watchmen posted on the walls are a metaphor concerning the relentless protection of a vulnerable city. So the city sleeps at night and is vulnerable. So watchmen, hopefully reliable men, are put up on the walls and they're not allowed to sleep. In days of warfare, it's the death penalty if you're on picket duty or on sentry duty and you fall asleep. The watchmen are on the walls, and they're not going to sleep at night. But here it's even more extreme. These watchmen are posted on Zion's walls and they're told to give themselves neither rest day or night. No rest ever. And they're not allowed to give God any rest either. Give yourselves no rest and give Him no rest until He finishes Zion. I can't help but think in church history about that Moravian Intercession 24 hours a day. They set up in the early part of the 18th century, first court of the 1700s. They began a passionate, committed, 24 hour a day prayer vigil, based on this and other texts. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for over 100 years. Relentless. It was called Herrnhut, the Lord's watch. And they would just watch and pray, specifically for missions, the spread of the gospel to the ends of the Earth. So we can't help but think about the persistent widow that Jesus told that parable that they should always pray and never give up. Never be silent, day or night. You call on the Lord, give yourself no rest, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of all the Earth. Now, I was going to wait to the end of the sermon, but I just want to apply it right now. What's going on with you in your prayer life? How does this convict you? It convicts me. I don't think God saying that we personally can never get a good night's sleep. That's not it, but the thing is there should be a relentlessness to our intercession, praying without ceasing, and there should be times of fasting and prayer and focused prayer for the establishment of the church of Jesus Christ to the ends of the Earth, Zion. That we should give ourselves no rest. We should be passionately interceding for the spread of the gospel. What is your prayer life like? Is there a pattern of sacrificial prayer for missions in your life? Now, the Lord swears to make Zion prosperous. He goes beyond this command to the watchmen on the walls. He actually promises to make Zion prosperous beyond their meager efforts. Look at verse 8-9, "The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies. Never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled. But those who harvest it will eat and praise the Lord, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary." Now, the prosperity of Zion is something that only God can work by the power of his right hand and his mighty arm. As a matter of fact, verse 8, he swears an oath by His own right hand and his right arm. He's swearing by his own omnipotent power. "By my right hand, and by my mighty arm, I swear that you will be prosperous for all eternity." In effect, he's saying only my omnipotence can make this happen. By the way, this is another interpretive key that this is not talking about the physical city of Jerusalem. When did this happen? When has this ever been true of the Jews in the Promised Land? That they would never again lose their harvest to invading enemies. That city has been a war zone for 2000 years. But in the future, God will establish Zion, and by His omnipotent power he will make it the praise of all the Earth. And the days of danger will be over. There will be absolute peace and prosperity. Isaiah 60, verse 11 says of Zion, "Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations their kings led in triumphal procession." Or Revelation 21:23-26 says, "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the Earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut for there'll be no night there." The glory and honor the nations we brought into it. You know another reason that you don't need to be guarding the walls anymore and the gates can stand open day or night? No enemies left. Satan will have been thrown in the lake of fire. All of his children will be thrown in the lake of fire, all the rebels will be gone. They'll be no threats, it'll be a place of peace, permanent peace and prosperity. It says in Isaiah 30:30, "The Lord will cause men to hear the majestic voice of the Lord and will make them see His arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire with cloud burst thunder storm and hail." The arm of the Lord coming down on the enemies and removing them out of love for His people and protection of the City of Zion. IV. Zion’s People Redeemed to Build Zion (vs. 10-12) So finally, verses 10-12. Zion's people are redeemed to build up the city. Look at verse 10. We have a high way of Zion's construction here. Spiritual civil engineers build up the highway. Look at verse 10. "Pass-through, pass-through the gates, prepare the way for the people build up, build up the highway, remove the stones, raise a banner for the nations." So this is an image here of journeying, and of traveling, and of a highway built in the desert. Every mount will be made, will be leveled and every valley raised up and the word of the Lord traveling, this has got to be missions again. Why is that? Look, we as Christians, we don't need to take physical pilgrimages. That's an old covenant thing. The Jews three times a year would travel from wherever they live up to Jerusalem, the place that the Lord had chosen. Three times a year they would come up with those festivals. But you remember in John chapter 4, Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman and Jesus convicted her about her sexual sin. Remember that? So she changed the subject, brought up a controversial topic. She was a smart lady. It's like, "You Jews say that you should worship in Mount Zion, but we say it should be here a Mount Gerizim. Who's right?" Smokescreen, but Jesus cut through it all to the real purpose anyway. "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." We're not looking for a physical Zion here. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. "We worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." This "build up, build up the highway… raise a banner for the nations." That's the way by which they make this pilgrimage, this spiritual journeying, and they don't need to move their bodies at all. They might be paralyzed in a hospital, be unable to move a muscle, and they can journey to Christ. Jesus said in John 14, the night before He left his disciples, the night before he was crucified, he said, "'I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back, and take you to be with me, so you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I'm going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way…'" there's the highway. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3, "No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus." Alright, well, I'm going to say the same thing about the road. No one can pave a road except the road already paved, and that road is Jesus. He is the way. So wherever these missionaries go, these folks getting... I love that video, that's my favorite IMB video ever, because it shows so many different features of a missionary's life, but they're getting in a boat, they're going off to an island where some family members, some unsaved family members, of those that who are already Christians are there, p they want to reach them. So they're in their boat, traveling across. And they're going to lay a foundation whereby those people on that island can journey to Zion. They don't have to move, they don't have to come off the island, except to do missions and evangelism. And they're going to lay that road and that road, his name is Jesus, they're going to preach Jesus. And that banner for the nations will be lifted up. The Promise of Zion’s Consummation And Zion will be consummated. Look at verse 11-12: "The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the Earth, say to the daughters, 'Zion, behold, your Savior comes. Behold. His reward is with him and his recompense accompanies him.' They will be called the holy people, the redeemed to the Lord. And you will be called sought-after, a city no longer deserted." So that's what's going to get proclaimed on these roads by the missionaries, "Behold, your King is coming." And when we finally see Him with our eyes, we're going to see him, that's the second coming of Christ. And at the second coming of Christ, all of these things will be consummated. The daughter of Zion is told, "Behold, your Savior comes." This is nothing less than the glory and the perfection of the second coming of Christ. And he's going to come with his reward and his reward is the consummation of our salvation, and we will see him finally face-to-face and we will be transformed and will receive our resurrection bodies. And Zion will be perfect and complete. Behold, your Savior comes. V. Applications So applications. First, I pray this morning and I continue to appeal to you. If you know that you are unconverted, you're on the outside looking in, this is the time God set up, this is the purpose of history. Now, is the time to come in. Now is the time to come to the feast by faith, to do your journeying now. Repent of your sins. Don't think that you can survive Judgment Day on your own, you can't. Don't be comfortable with how things are in your present situation. Come to Christ. Repent and believe. To you who are Christians, I just would urge you to meditate on the zeal that Jesus has, the passion he has for the bride here, and let it kindle your heart as well. Jesus is highly passionate for his bride. And then extend it to you, he's passionate about you, he's zealous for you. He's got a zeal and a passion for your glory. He wants you to be holy. And so just think about that, Jesus is going to keep on speaking to you, he's going to keep on ministering the word to you until you're radiant and glorious. Secondly, if I could just speak as I did earlier to husbands. Husbands have the same glory, a zeal for your wife's final glory, that Jesus does. Get involved under him in getting her ready for her real wedding day and yours too. As it says in Ephesians 5: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, to present her to Himself as a radiant church." So, that's the best a husband can do for a wife. Love her, pray for her, talk scripture to her, have her talk scripture to you. Grow together in holiness, grow together in spiritual maturity. Are you spending time together in prayer and in the word? If she has weak areas, strengthen them through the ministry of the word. Sanctify her by the ministry of the word. Let Jesus speak passionately to His bride through you. It's a great way to be a godly husband. And what's going to happen is you're going to grow too, because you have weak areas too. Thirdly, set your heart on things above and things to come. Don't live for earthly things. My whole point, Isaiah 62, it's not going to be a practical sermon on how to deal with this, how to... It's a big picture vision sermon is what it is. It's why are we here? We're here about this, we're here about the bride, the wedding that's coming, that's why we're here. So set your heart on things above, not on earthly things, like Colossian 3 tells you: For your Christ is your life. And this bride, this work of the bride, this is your life's work, just like it is Jesus'. So, set your minds on things above. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also, and everyone else, we will all appear with Him in glory. Fourthly, obviously, be involved in evangelism and missions. Take the cards that were in your bulletin today, take that one that was in yours and give it to someone you believe to be a non-Christian or somebody who you don't know, invite them to church. And use it as a spring board, if you have more time to talk about the gospel. Let's spread the seed widely through this area. I think that's our weakness as evangelists. We don't, we just try one or two here or there. Let's just talk to as many people as we can. Let's have a Judgment Day fearlessness. We don't care what people think about us, we just want to be instrumental in sharing the gospel. Do it at the workplace, be involved. If I can just say this thing, maybe you don't know this, but an incredible work is going on here on Wednesday nights with our international ministry. It's incredible. Recently, we have seen people come from Muslim backgrounds as a direct answer to prayer, so the women wearing the hijab and other outfits. They're just coming right here. They're not Christians, they're coming to learn English, like, "Pastor, I don't know how to get involved in evangelism." Come on Wednesday night, help teach English. We get to choose the curriculum and what we talk about. We get to talk about whatever we want to talk about as they learn English. I have a few topics that I think might be good to talk about. It's just an easy way to get involved in unreached people, group missions even. They're coming right here on Wednesdays. And then there are others that are coming from other places, East Asia, and all that, and they're incredibly intelligent people, and they're just trying to learn English. We could use more laborers for the harvest field, so get involved in missions, invite people. Then finally, intercessory prayer, give yourself no rest and give Him no rest, until He establishes Zion in glory. Stretch yourself in prayer. Try denying some evening this week, something you usually do, and instead give it to intercessory prayer for the spread of the gospel, and then go out from there. That's the beginning of giving yourself no rest and giving him no rest. Until he establishes Zion in glory, close with me in prayer.

Plimoth Plantation's Master Textile Artisan, Dan Rosen, explores how English colonists acquired and used their clothes in New and Old England and how they adjusted their style to suit new environments and climates.

On Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). What relevance do the concerns of a monarchy-defending aristocrat have for us today? Surprisingly, a lot! The full foursome discuss possible conflicts between freedom, rights, and well-being. What is political freedom without public wisdom? The tyranny of the mob! End song: "Hard Times of Old England" from Peter Knight's Gigspanner (from Layers of Ages, 2015); listen to Mark's interview with Peter on Nakedly Examined Music #27.

With days to go before the election, we put New England’s changing political DNA under the microscope with pollster and University of New Hampshire political scientist Andrew Smith. We also have an update on the roadside outhouse turned voting booth from Episode 11. Plus, renewable energy is best for the planet, but reality here is a little…gassier. And we take a detour from the campaign trail and head for the hills, and mountains. One of These Things is Not Like the Others Should New Hampshire’s outsize roll in presidential politics be reconsidered? (Credit: NHPR) New England is seen as reliably Democratic. Along with New York, it's part of a big blue blob in the upper right hand corner of those election maps we've seen all too much of. But it wasn't always like this. And, as we know, there's one state, with a famous independent streak, that has always been a little different. A poll by WBUR in Boston – taken less than a week before election day – shows Republican Donald Trump pulling slightly ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. While the Granite State seems like an outlier, political scientist Andrew Smith says it's really the last state in a regional shift from Republican to Democratic that's been happening across decades. We invited him into the studio to learn about how and why New England's political DNA is changing. Smith teaches political science at the University of New Hampshire, and directs the UNH Survey Center. He's co-author of the book The First Primary: New Hampshire's Outsize Role in Presidential Politics. New Hampshire voters may take elections seriously, but a few weeks back we met one Granite Stater who definitely doesn't take them too seriously. Chris Owens hung a sign reading “Official NH Voting Booth” on an outhouse at his farm stand, and invited visitors to “cast their ballots” for Trump or Clinton in one of two toilets inside. The results are in! New Hampshire Public Radio’s Sean Hurley reports. Farmstand owner Chris Owens posted the results of his poll a week before the election. (Credit: Sean Hurley/ NHPR) Got the urge to nerd out over New Hampshire politics? Check out New Hampshire Public Radio’s database of election results going back to 1970. Gas Pains For months, clean energy advocates have been anxiously awaiting the results of a contest of sorts. It was a request for proposals by the three Southern New England states, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to build new project that would help the region meet both its greenhouse gas emissions goals – and overall energy needs. When the winners were unveiled, there were some big surprises. First, the mix of wind and solar projects, totaling 460 megawatts, are largely located in southern New England. That means large wind farms proposed in northern Maine, and a transmission project for Canadian Hydro-Power lost out. Pipes for a proposed natural gas pipeline in South Dakota are stacked at a staging area. (Credit: Nati Harnik/AP) The other big surprise was that the state of Connecticut pulled the plug on another plan, to construct more natural gas pipelines in the state. It was prompted by previous decisions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that said it was unconstitutional to pass along the cost of building pipelines to electric customers. That would have left Connecticut ratepayers on the hook – without help from their regional neighbors. Protesters rally in downtown Pittsfield, Mass. before an injunction hearing on a natural gas pipeline in July, 2016. (Credit: Adam Frenier/ NEPR) This might mean the end of big pipeline projects like “Access Northeast.” And, it raises questions about the need for more gas-fired power plants, including those that have met with local opposition in Connecticut and Rhode Island. But Connecticut officials are saying, “not so fast.” Right now, New England gets more than 50 percent of it's power from gas, and state regulatory commissioner Katie Dykes says the fuel is necessary for the region to provide reliable, year-round power – even as it invests more in renewable energy. Dykes been part of this process in her previous role as Connecticut's Deputy Commissioner for Energy. She told us that the decision to halt the pipelines was done to protect ratepayers in her state. Take a Hike If you’re thinking, that tree couldn’t have grown that way naturally, your instincts are correct. (Credit: John Voci/NEPR) If you spend any time walking in the woods, you see a lot of strange looking trees — trees shaped by the wind, or split by lightning. And — occasionally — some twists and turns are man-made. When walking in the woods near his Putney, Vermont, home, Dan Kubick discovered a most unusual tree. New England Public Radio's John Voci has our story. Emma Gatewood with Thomson brothers (from left) Tom, seven; David, nine; and Peter, 11; near the Thomson home in Orford, New Hampshire, on her through hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1955. (Courtesy of Peter Thomson) You might know someone who’s gone out looking for his or herself along the Appalachian Trail. Next year will mark the 80th birthday of the 2100- mile footpath. A third of the trail runs through New England, including its most rugged parts, ending at the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood made headlines when she became the first woman to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, back in 1955. She was 67 years old, and wore Keds. Writer Ben Montgomery, Emma's great great nephew, tells her story. Ben Montgomery's book, Grandma Gatewood's Walk came out in paperback earlier this year. About NEXT NEXT is produced at WNPR. Host: John Dankosky Producer: Andrea Muraskin Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Digital Content Manager/Editor: Heather Brandon Contributors to this episode: Anthony Brooks, Sean Hurley, John Voci, Elliot Rambach Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Roast Beef of Old England” by the US Marine Band, “Sunrise Blues” by Samuel James Get all the NEXT episodes. We appreciate your feedback! Send praise, critique, suggestions, questions, story leads, and tales from the trail to next@wnpr.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Minute 57 of The Whole Shebang, Mike, Jenny, and special guest Cat continue to look at the success montage including Cooper's lackluster costuming, the stately homes of Old England including Chiswick House in Cat's Architectural History Minute, Cooper's poor impression of Mickey Rooney, the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland comedies of the late ‘30s and early ‘40s, the many urban legends surrounding Walt Disney, the similarities between child actors Mickey Rooney, Gary Coleman and Emmanuel Lewis, and yes, yet MORE costumes to review, including Brian's white suit which leaves nothing to the imagination, the Venus in Furs trying gamely to glam up, and Mandy's fantastic colorful sundress, and then we talk a lot about Eddie Izzard's acting in Velvet Goldmine and his recent appearance in the press for chasing down a beret thief. And we reveal the reason behind our trip to England– Cat's wedding to her husband Drew– and give a free commercial for the tasty wedding catering of Burger Bros. in Deal, UK. Find us on the web at thewholeshebangpodcast.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Patreon at wholeshebangpod.

Charlie Bertoia, a 2nd Year Chiropractic Intern from Toronto, Canada, joins me to discuss the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth, England. We discuss the AECC statement on EU referendum, and how it affects immigration rules for EU students in the UK as well as: • Choosing AECC for international experiences • Old England architecture with modern facilities • The first patient adjustment in clinic • Why the pace of curriculum is manageable and could even be more strenuous • Multiple clubs, technique groups, Adjusting Ninjas, and team sports • The one thing he would change ‘Tic Picks Nathan: Osmosis iPhone study app and YouTube Channel Charlie: European Chiropractors’ Union Campus Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UvMTHX7L_w

Alrightey folks, boy do we have a treat for you this episode! This week we're talking Limey Old England's favorite Sons, Napalm Death and their latest album called Apex Predator – Easy Meat. We then go from Old England to New England and talk about a supernatural folk tale called The [...]

Alrightey folks, boy do we have a treat for you this episode! This week we're talking Limey Old England's favorite Sons, Napalm Death and their latest album called Apex Predator – Easy Meat. We then go from Old England to New England and talk about a supernatural folk tale called The VVitch from 2015.

This week on StoryWeb: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel “The Scarlet Letter.” “What we did had a consecration of its own.” So says Hester Prynne to Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. When I was 15 and reading the novel for the first time in my high school American literature class, I had no idea what Hester – she of the scarlet letter – meant. But as I got older, as I experienced my own deep connections with others, I came to understand Hester very well. In her view, her forest rendezvous with Dimmesdale was not lustful fornication but sacred, holy lovemaking, lovemaking that honored both of them. If you read (or read about) The Scarlet Letter in high school and haven’t touched it since, I highly encourage you to give it another chance. I don’t think it is a book for teenagers, for they do not have nearly enough life experience to understand the bond between Hester and Dimmesdale. They can’t fathom what each gives up – or considers giving up – for the other. (Other teachers, however, report some success with teaching the complex moral novel in high school. See Brenda Wineapple’s essay “The Scarlet Letter and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s America,” and David Denby’s piece “Is It Still Possible to Teach The Scarlet Letter in High School?”) If you’re ready to read The Scarlet Letter for the first time or if you’re ready to read it again, you can read the book online for free or buy a hard copy for your collection. Don’t bother with any of the wretched film adaptations (especially the 1995 version starring Demi Moore as Hester). Just stick with the novel itself. Your own imagination will bring the book to life! Once you’ve got the book in hand, it’s best to start with Hawthorne’s opening essay, “The Custom House.” Many readers skip it, wanting to move ahead to the story. But “The Custom House” is key to the novel in so many ways. It tells of Hawthorne’s years working as the chief executive officer of the Salem, Massachusetts, Custom House. Salem, of course, was the site of the heinous Salem Witch Trials. In 1692, the Puritans “pressed” one man to death and hung fourteen women and five men, all of them falsely convicted of witchcraft. Salem was Hawthorne’s hometown, his long-time ancestral home. In fact, one of his direct ancestors was Justice John Hathorne; he was the chief interrogator of the accused witches. So distressed and estranged was Hawthorne by his family’s participation in the Salem Witch Trials that he changed the spelling of his surname, thereby distancing himself from the family legacy. In “The Custom House,” Hawthorne tells of his struggle to come to terms with his family’s past. He says, This long connection of a family with one spot, as its place of birth and burial, creates a kindred between the human being and the locality, quite independent of any charm in the scenery or moral circumstances that surround him. It is not love, but instinct. . . . It is no matter that the place is joyless for him; that he is weary of the old wooden houses, the mud and dust, the dead level of site and sentiment, the chill east wind, and the chillest of social atmospheres. . . . The spell survives, and just as powerfully as if the natal spot were an earthly paradise. So has it been in my case. I felt it almost as a destiny to make Salem my home. . . . Nevertheless, this very sentiment is an evidence that the connection, which has become an unhealthy one, should at last be severed. Later in the essay, Hawthorne tells of poking around one day in the “heaped-up rubbish” of the Custom House and finding a beautifully embroidered, red letter A, “a certain affair of fine red cloth, much worn and faded.” It had been wrought,” Hawthorne says, “with wonderful skill of needlework; and the stitch . . . gives evidence of a now forgotten art.” While puzzling over the meaning of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne places it on his chest. “I experienced a sensation not altogether physical, yet almost so, as of burning heat,” he writes. “as if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron.” Accompanying the scarlet letter, Hawthorne finds a “small roll of dingy paper,” which reveals that Hester Prynne had been the wearer of the letter. Hawthorne’s story of discovering the scarlet letter and finding out about Hester Prynne is completely fabricated as far as we know, but the reader is hooked. The novel that follows promises to tell the story of the infamous Hester Prynne and her even more infamous scarlet letter. While the story of the scarlet letter may be a figment of Hawthorne’s imagination, what is real is the harsh legacy of the 17th-century Puritans and Hawthorne’s own Transcendentalist-touched life in the 19th century. In a surprising and quite interesting turn of events, it was the descendants of the 17th-century Puritans who became the Transcendentalists – those fervent free thinkers – in the 19th century. I always imagine that the Puritans would have rolled over in their graves had they known what their heirs espoused. In fact, Hester can easily be seen as a Transcendentalist heroine set smack dab in a Puritan world. As Hawthorne created his heroine, he made her much more a product of the 19th century than the 17th century. As she “stand[s] alone in the world” and “cast[s] away the fragments of a broken chain,” she determines that “[t]he world’s law was no law for her mind.” Wearing her scarlet letter, “[i]n her lonesome cottage, by the sea-shore, thoughts visited her, such as dared to enter no other dwelling in New England.” In fact, says Hawthorne, “she might have come down to us in history, hand in hand with Anne Hutchinson, as the foundress of a religious sect. She might, in one of her phases, have been a prophetess.” No wonder Hester is ostracized from her community: she was much too dangerous for the small community of Boston! Ready to explore Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter further? Start with an overview of Hawthorne’s relationship to his ancestral hometown, created by one of my students at Shepherd University and illustrated with photos of our 2002 trip to Salem. “Hawthorne in Salem” is another great website that helps the scene and the context for Hawthorne’s writing of The Scarlet Letter. For links to these resources, visit thestoryweb.com/hawthorne. Listen now as I read excerpts from the first three chapters of The Scarlet Letter. You’ll see Hester Prynne as she leaves the prison, walks to the scaffold to receive her punishment, and returns to her cell.   A THRONG of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes.   The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison. In accordance with this rule, it may safely be assumed that the forefathers of Boston had built the first prison-house, somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill, almost as seasonably as they marked out the first burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson’s lot, and round about his grave, which subsequently became the nucleus of all the congregated sepulchres in the old church-yard of King’s Chapel. Certain it is, that, some fifteen or twenty years after the settlement of the town, the wooden jail was already marked with weather-stains and other indications of age, which gave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed and gloomy front. The rust on the ponderous iron-work of its oaken door looked more antique than any thing else in the new world. Like all that pertains to crime, it seemed never to have known a youthful era. Before this ugly edifice, and between it and the wheel-track of the street, was a grass-plot, much overgrown with burdock, pig-weed, apple-peru, and such unsightly vegetation, which evidently found something congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison. But, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.    THE GRASS-PLOT before the jail, in Prison Lane, on a certain summer morning, not less than two centuries ago, was occupied by a pretty large number of the inhabitants of Boston; all with their eyes intently fastened on the iron-clamped oaken door. Amongst any other population, or at a later period in the history of New England, the grim rigidity that petrified the bearded physiognomies of these good people would have augured some awful business in hand. It could have betokened nothing short of the anticipated execution of some noted culprit, on whom the sentence of a legal tribunal had but confirmed the verdict of public sentiment. But, in that early severity of the Puritan character, an inference of this kind could not so indubitably be drawn. It might be that a sluggish bond-servant, or an undutiful child, whom his parents had given over to the civil authority, was to be corrected at the whipping-post. It might be, that an Antinomian, a Quaker, or other heterodox religionist, was to be scourged out of the town, or an idle and vagrant Indian, whom the white man’s fire-water had made riotous about the streets, was to be driven with stripes into the shadow of the forest. It might be, too, that a witch, like old Mistress Hibbins, the bitter-tempered widow of the magistrate, was to die upon the gallows. In either case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the part of the spectators; as befitted a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful. Meagre, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself.   The door of the jail being flung open from within, there appeared, in the first place, like a black shadow emerging into sunshine, the grim and grisly presence of the town-beadle, with a sword by his side and his staff of office in his hand. This personage prefigured and represented in his aspect the whole dismal severity of the Puritanic code of law, which it was his business to administer in its final and closest application to the offender. Stretching forth the official staff in his left hand, he laid his right upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward until, on the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air, as if by her own free-will. She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day; because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.   When the young woman—the mother of this child—stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress. In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore; and which was of a splendor in accordance with the taste of the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.   The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was lady-like, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than by the delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace, which is now recognized as its indication. And never had Hester Prynne appeared more lady-like, in the antique interpretation of the term, than as she issued from the prison. Those who had before known her, and had expected to behold her dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud, were astonished, and even startled, to perceive how her beauty shone out, and made a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped. It may be true, that, to a sensitive observer, there was something exquisitely painful in it. Her attire, which, indeed, she had wrought for the occasion, in prison, and had modelled much after her own fancy, seemed to express the attitude of her spirit, the desperate recklessness of her mood, by its wild and picturesque peculiarity. But the point which drew all eyes, and, as it were, transfigured the wearer,—so that both men and women, who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impressed as if they beheld her for the first time,—was that SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself.   “She hath good skill at her needle, that’s certain,” remarked one of the female spectators; “but did ever a woman, before this brazen hussy, contrive such a way of showing it! Why, gossips, what is it but to laugh in the faces of our godly magistrates, and make a pride out of what they, worthy gentlemen, meant for a punishment?”   “It were well,” muttered the most iron-visaged of the old dames, “if we stripped Madam Hester’s rich gown off her dainty shoulders; and as for the red letter, which she hath stitched so curiously, I’ll bestow a rag of mine own rheumatic flannel, to make a fitter one!”   “O, peace, neighbours, peace!” whispered their youngest companion. “Do not let her hear you! Not a stitch in that embroidered letter, but she has felt it in her heart.”   The grim beadle now made a gesture with his staff.   “Make way, good people, make way, in the King’s name,” cried he. “Open a passage; and, I promise ye, Mistress Prynne shall be set where man, woman, and child may have a fair sight of her brave apparel, from this time till an hour past meridian. A blessing on the righteous Colony of the Massachusetts, where iniquity is dragged out into the sunshine! Come along, Madam Hester, and show your scarlet letter in the market-place!”   A lane was forthwith opened through the crowd of spectators. Preceded by the beadle, and attended by an irregular procession of stern-browed men and unkindly-visaged women, Hester Prynne set forth towards the place appointed for her punishment. A crowd of eager and curious schoolboys, understanding little of the matter in hand, except that it gave them a half-holiday, ran before her progress, turning their heads continually to stare into her face, and at the winking baby in her arms, and at the ignominious letter on her breast. It was no great distance, in those days, from the prison-door to the market-place. Measured by the prisoner’s experience, however, it might be reckoned a journey of some length; for, haughty as her demeanour was, she perchance underwent an agony from every footstep of those that thronged to see her, as if her heart had been flung into the street for them all to spurn and trample upon. In our nature, however, there is a provision, alike marvellous and merciful, that the sufferer should never know the intensity of what he endures by its present torture, but chiefly by the pang that rankles after it. With almost a serene deportment, therefore, Hester Prynne passed through this portion of her ordeal, and came to a sort of scaffold, at the western extremity of the market-place. It stood nearly beneath the eaves of Boston’s earliest church, and appeared to be a fixture there.   In fact, this scaffold constituted a portion of a penal machine, which now, for two or three generations past, has been merely historical and traditionary among us, but was held, in the old time, to be as effectual an agent in the promotion of good citizenship, as ever was the guillotine among the terrorists of France. It was, in short, the platform of the pillory; and above it rose the framework of that instrument of discipline, so fashioned as to confine the human head in its tight grasp, and thus hold it up to the public gaze. The very ideal of ignominy was embodied and made manifest in this contrivance of wood and iron. There can be no outrage, methinks, against our common nature,—whatever be the delinquencies of the individual,—no outrage more flagrant than to forbid the culprit to hide his face for shame; as it was the essence of this punishment to do. In Hester Prynne’s instance, however, as not unfrequently in other cases, her sentence bore, that she should stand a certain time upon the platform, but without undergoing that gripe about the neck and confinement of the head, the proneness to which was the most devilish characteristic of this ugly engine. Knowing well her part, she ascended a flight of wooden steps, and was thus displayed to the surrounding multitude, at about the height of a man’s shoulders above the street.   Had there been a Papist among the crowd of Puritans, he might have seen in this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of Divine Maternity, which so many illustrious painters have vied with one another to represent; something which should remind him, indeed, but only by contrast, of that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem the world. Here, there was the taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life, working such effect, that the world was only the darker for this woman’s beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she had borne.   The scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow-creature, before society shall have grown corrupt enough to smile, instead of shuddering, at it. The witnesses of Hester Prynne’s disgrace had not yet passed beyond their simplicity. They were stern enough to look upon her death, had that been the sentence, without a murmur at its severity, but had none of the heartlessness of another social state, which would find only a theme for jest in an exhibition like the present. Even had there been a disposition to turn the matter into ridicule, it must have been repressed and overpowered by the solemn presence of men no less dignified than the Governor, and several of his counsellors, a judge, a general, and the ministers of the town; all of whom sat or stood in a balcony of the meeting-house, looking down upon the platform. When such personages could constitute a part of the spectacle, without risking the majesty or reverence of rank and office, it was safely to be inferred that the infliction of a legal sentence would have an earnest and effectual meaning. Accordingly, the crowd was sombre and grave. The unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes, all fastened upon her, and concentrated at her bosom. It was almost intolerable to be borne. Of an impulsive and passionate nature, she had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely, wreaking itself in every variety of insult; but there was a quality so much more terrible in the solemn mood of the popular mind, that she longed rather to behold all those rigid countenances contorted with scornful merriment, and herself the object. Had a roar of laughter burst from the multitude,—each man, each woman, each little shrill-voiced child, contributing their individual parts,—Hester Prynne might have repaid them all with a bitter and disdainful smile. But, under the leaden infliction which it was her doom to endure, she felt, at moments, as if she must needs shriek out with the full power of her lungs, and cast herself from the scaffold down upon the ground, or else go mad at once.   Yet there were intervals when the whole scene, in which she was the most conspicuous object, seemed to vanish from her eyes, or, at least, glimmered indistinctly before them, like a mass of imperfectly shaped and spectral images. Her mind, and especially her memory, was preternaturally active, and kept bringing up other scenes than this roughly hewn street of a little town, on the edge of the Western wilderness; other faces than were lowering upon her from beneath the brims of those steeple-crowned hats. Reminiscences, the most trifling and immaterial, passages of infancy and school-days, sports, childish quarrels, and the little domestic traits of her maiden years, came swarming back upon her, intermingled with recollections of whatever was gravest in her subsequent life; one picture precisely as vivid as another; as if all were of similar importance, or all alike a play. Possibly, it was an instinctive device of her spirit to relieve itself, by the exhibition of these phantasmagoric forms, from the cruel weight and hardness of the reality.   Be that as it might, the scaffold of the pillory was a point of view that revealed to Hester Prynne the entire track along which she had been treading, since her happy infancy. Standing on that miserable eminence, she saw again her native village, in Old England, and her paternal home; a decayed house of gray stone, with a poverty-stricken aspect, but retaining a half-obliterated shield of arms over the portal, in token of antique gentility. She saw her father’s face, with its bold brow, and reverend white beard, that flowed over the old-fashioned Elizabethan ruff; her mother’s, too, with the look of heedful and anxious love which it always wore in her remembrance, and which, even since her death, had so often laid the impediment of a gentle remonstrance in her daughter’s pathway. She saw her own face, glowing with girlish beauty, and illuminating all the interior of the dusky mirror in which she had been wont to gaze at it. There she beheld another countenance, of a man well stricken in years, a pale, thin, scholar-like visage, with eyes dim and bleared by the lamp-light that had served them to pore over many ponderous books. Yet those same bleared optics had a strange, penetrating power, when it was their owner’s purpose to read the human soul. This figure of the study and the cloister, as Hester Prynne’s womanly fancy failed not to recall, was slightly deformed, with the left shoulder a trifle higher than the right. Next rose before her, in memory’s picture-gallery, the intricate and narrow thoroughfares, the tall, gray houses, the huge cathedrals, and the public edifices, ancient in date and quaint in architecture, of a Continental city; where a new life had awaited her, still in connection with the misshapen scholar; a new life, but feeding itself on time-worn materials, like a tuft of green moss on a crumbling wall. Lastly, in lieu of these shifting scenes, came back the rude market-place of the Puritan settlement, with all the townspeople assembled and levelling their stern regards at Hester Prynne,—yes, at herself,—who stood on the scaffold of the pillory, an infant on her arm, and the letter A, in scarlet, fantastically embroidered with gold thread, upon her bosom!   Could it be true? She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!—these were her realities,—all else had vanished!   Hester Prynne had been standing on her pedestal, still with a fixed gaze towards the stranger; so fixed a gaze, that, at moments of intense absorption, all other objects in the visible world seemed to vanish, leaving only him and her. Such an interview, perhaps, would have been more terrible than even to meet him as she now did, with the hot, mid-day sun burning down upon her face, and lighting up its shame; with the scarlet token of infamy on her breast; with the sin-born infant in her arms; with a whole people, drawn forth as to a festival, staring at the features that should have been seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside, in the happy shadow of a home, or beneath a matronly veil, at church. Dreadful as it was, she was conscious of a shelter in the presence of these thousand witnesses. It was better to stand thus, with so many betwixt him and her, than to greet him, face to face, they two alone. She fled for refuge, as it were, to the public exposure, and dreaded the moment when its protection should be withdrawn from her. Involved in these thoughts, she scarcely heard a voice behind her, until it had repeated her name more than once, in a loud and solemn tone, audible to the whole multitude.   “Hearken unto me, Hester Prynne!” said the voice.   It has already been noticed, that directly over the platform on which Hester Prynne stood was a kind of balcony, or open gallery, appended to the meeting-house. It was the place whence proclamations were wont to be made, amidst an assemblage of the magistracy, with all the ceremonial that attended such public observances in those days. Here, to witness the scene which we are describing, sat Governor Bellingham himself, with four sergeants about his chair, bearing halberds, as a guard of honor. He wore a dark feather in his hat, a border of embroidery on his cloak, and a black velvet tunic beneath; a gentleman advanced in years, and with a hard experience written in his wrinkles. He was not ill fitted to be the head and representative of a community, which owed its origin and progress, and its present state of development, not to the impulses of youth, but to the stern and tempered energies of manhood, and the sombre sagacity of age; accomplishing so much, precisely because it imagined and hoped so little. The other eminent characters, by whom the chief ruler was surrounded, were distinguished by a dignity of mien, belonging to a period when the forms of authority were felt to possess the sacredness of divine institutions. They were, doubtless, good men, just, and sage. But, out of the whole human family, it would not have been easy to select the same number of wise and virtuous persons, who should he less capable of sitting in judgment on an erring woman’s heart, and disentangling its mesh of good and evil, than the sages of rigid aspect towards whom Hester Prynne now turned her face. She seemed conscious, indeed, that whatever sympathy she might expect lay in the larger and warmer heart of the multitude; for, as she lifted her eyes towards the balcony, the unhappy woman grew pale and trembled.   The voice which had called her attention was that of the reverend and famous John Wilson, the eldest clergyman of Boston, a great scholar, like most of his contemporaries in the profession, and withal a man of kind and genial spirit. This last attribute, however, had been less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts, and was, in truth, rather a matter of shame than self-congratulation with him. There he stood, with a border of grizzled locks beneath his skull-cap; while his gray eyes, accustomed to the shaded light of his study, were winking, like those of Hester’s infant, in the unadulterated sunshine. He looked like the darkly engraved portraits which we see prefixed to old volumes of sermons; and had no more right than one of those portraits would have, to step forth, as he now did, and meddle with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish.   “Hester Prynne,” said the clergyman, “I have striven with my young brother here, under whose preaching of the word you have been privileged to sit,”—here Mr. Wilson laid his hand on the shoulder of a pale young man beside him,—“I have sought, I say, to persuade this godly youth, that he should deal with you, here in the face of Heaven, and before these wise and upright rulers, and in hearing of all the people, as touching the vileness and blackness of your sin. Knowing your natural temper better than I, he could the better judge what arguments to use, whether of tenderness or terror, such as might prevail over your hardness and obstinacy; insomuch that you should no longer hide the name of him who tempted you to this grievous fall. But he opposes to me, (with a young man’s oversoftness, albeit wise beyond his years,) that it were wronging the very nature of woman to force her to lay open her heart’s secrets in such broad daylight, and in presence of so great a multitude. Truly, as I sought to convince him, the shame lay in the commission of the sin, and not in the showing of it forth. What say you to it, once again, brother Dimmesdale? Must it be thou or I that shall deal with this poor sinner’s soul?”   There was a murmur among the dignified and reverend occupants of the balcony; and Governor Bellingham gave expression to its purport, speaking in an authoritative voice, although tempered with respect towards the youthful clergyman whom he addressed.   “Good Master Dimmesdale,” said he, “the responsibility of this woman’s soul lies greatly with you. It behooves you, therefore, to exhort her to repentance, and to confession, as a proof and consequence thereof.”   The directness of this appeal drew the eyes of the whole crowd upon the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale; young clergyman, who had come from one of the great English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild forest-land. His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession. He was a person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and impending brow, large, brown, melancholy eyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulous, expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self-restraint. Notwithstanding his high native gifts and scholar-like attainments, there was an air about this young minister,—an apprehensive, a startled, a half-frightened look,—as of a being who felt himself quite astray and at a loss in the pathway of human existence, and could only be at ease in some seclusion of his own. Therefore, so far as his duties would permit, he trode in the shadowy by-paths, and thus kept himself simple and childlike; coming forth, when occasion was, with a freshness, and fragrance, and dewy purity of thought, which, as many people said, affected them like the speech of an angel.   Such was the young man whom the Reverend Mr. Wilson and the Governor had introduced so openly to the public notice, bidding him speak, in the hearing of all men, to that mystery of a woman’s soul, so sacred even in its pollution. The trying nature of his position drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous.   “Speak to the woman, my brother,” said Mr. Wilson. “It is of moment to her soul, and therefore, as the worshipful Governor says, momentous to thine own, in whose charge hers is. Exhort her to confess the truth!”   The Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale bent his head, in silent prayer, as it seemed, and then came forward.   “Hester Prynne,” said he, leaning over the balcony, and looking down stedfastly into her eyes, “thou hearest what this good man says, and seest the accountability under which I labor. If thou feelest it to be for thy soul’s peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer! Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him—yea, compel him, as it were—to add hypocrisy to sin? Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy, that thereby thou mayest work out an open triumph over the evil within thee, and the sorrow without. Take heed how thou deniest to him—who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself—the bitter, but wholesome, cup that is now presented to thy lips!”   The young pastor’s voice was tremulously sweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purport of the words, caused it to vibrate within all hearts, and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy. Even the poor baby, at Hester’s bosom, was affected by the same influence; for it directed its hitherto vacant gaze towards Mr. Dimmesdale, and held up its little arms, with a half pleased, half plaintive murmur. So powerful seemed the minister’s appeal, that the people could not believe but that Hester Prynne would speak out the guilty name; or else that the guilty one himself, in whatever high or lowly place he stood, would be drawn forth by an inward and inevitable necessity, and compelled to ascend the scaffold.   Hester shook her head.   “Woman, transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven’s mercy!” cried the Reverend Mr. Wilson, more harshly than before. “That little babe hath been gifted with a voice, to second and confirm the counsel which thou hast heard. Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast.”   “Never!” replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman. “It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!”   “Speak, woman!” said another voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding from the crowd about the scaffold. “Speak; and give your child a father!”   “I will not speak!” answered Hester, turning pale as death, but responding to this voice, which she too surely recognized. “And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!”   “She will not speak!” murmured Mr. Dimmesdale, who, leaning over the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awaited the result of his appeal. He now drew back, with a long respiration. “Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!”   Discerning the impracticable state of the poor culprit’s mind, the elder clergyman, who had carefully prepared himself for the occasion, addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin, in all its branches, but with continual reference to the ignominious letter. So forcibly did he dwell upon this symbol, for the hour or more during which his periods were rolling over the people’s heads, that it assumed new terrors in their imagination, and seemed to derive its scarlet hue from the flames of the infernal pit. Hester Prynne, meanwhile, kept her place upon the pedestal of shame, with glazed eyes, and an air of weary indifference. She had borne, that morning, all that nature could endure; and as her temperament was not of the order that escapes from too intense suffering by a swoon, her spirit could only shelter itself beneath a stony crust of insensibility, while the faculties of animal life remained entire. In this state, the voice of the preacher thundered remorselessly, but unavailingly, upon her ears. The infant, during the latter portion of her ordeal, pierced the air with its wailings and screams; she strove to hush it, mechanically, but seemed scarcely to sympathize with its trouble. With the same hard demeanour, she was led back to prison, and vanished from the public gaze within its iron-clamped portal. It was whispered, by those who peered after her, that the scarlet letter threw a lurid gleam along the dark passage-way of the interior.      

This week on Two Brews Northeast, Kris, Jess, Ashley, and  Erin (Mrs Jarrett) try four more brews from the DC, Baltimore, and Maryland area. One brew brings us back in time, one takes us out for breakfast, another to the seaports of Old England, a fourth goes very, very wrong.

Join Tate's artist-educator Richard Thomas for a tour and candid discussion on the power behind the early art markets through works such as Hogarth's O the Roast Beef of Old England.