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THE FAMILY AND HISTORY . . .

Bosron,
same somehow. The people were
OnSeptember4,1862,ayoungman different. They didn't believe or act like
from Mobile, Alabama, enlisted as a theyusedro in the old days. That'swhy
volunteer in Murrell's Independent Charles'fatherhadded.dedtocomeSouth
ea:valry (which would later become atthetumofthecenrnry. SaidtheSouth
Company C, Murphy's Battalion of the was more like the Old country" used to
Alabama Cavalry) in the anny of the be.
Confederate States of America. Charles
meant to fight to derend his country in
the war against his formernation. People
in the Confederacy called it the War for
Southem Independence.
ChaIres was thlrty-two years of age.
His fatberhad been a probate judge in
Mobile but he had died almost sixteen
years previous when Charleswasfourteen
years old. He and the lWO other boys
(Maniluis and Bushrod) had been both
providers and fathers for their mother
and sister.
It wasn't an easy decision to join up
with the Confederate army. But it was
right. Charles lmew his father would
have appmved. His father came from
sturdy, OLD, New England stock. I
emphasize OLD New England, for that
pall of the country had changed a great
deal since the first few generations of the
family had settled in Salem and later,
Enlistingwas clearly the rightthingto
do. It was exactly what his grandfather
Josiah (at the age of twenty-three) had
done in 1775 when the British had
invaded. It waS the family tradition to
fight for freedom and merights Godg:ive
to them, no matter the opponent. k
wasn'teasyto takeuparmsagainstfoimer
counuymen, but if they were not going
to allow Southem independence, then
there was only one alternative. The time
had come to fight! ...
Whatyouhavejustreadisnotfiction.
It is the story of my great-great-
grandfather on my father's side, Charles
Ellis Wilkins. His grandfather (my
great-great-great-great grandfather) was
Josiah Wilkins who served in the
Continental Army in the company of
Captain Cyptian How duting the first
WarofIndependence.Josiah'sgreat-great
grandfather, Bray Wilkins, came to this
4 TIlE COUNSEL of ChaIcedon f February, March 1993
counny from Wales in 1628. He was a
member of the second company of brave
folk who sailed with Captain John
Endicott to the Massachusetts Bay
Colony.
It is a blessed. heritage anda story that
my children will hear many tintes before
they leave home - and one I hope they
will pass on to their children for many
years to come. I only wish I knew more
about my mother's side of the family.
In the providence of God, my fathers
have had a role in quite a few of the
notable events in our country's history
(yes, even the Salem witch ttials!). But
my family is not at all unique. Your
family may well have had a greaterpanin
the events that have shaped our nation.
Did they? Do you lmow?
In recent years I have. been amazed
overhowdisinteresredmodem Chtistians
history
isoftenviewedas the religious obligation
of the Mormons; or as an amusement of
the richandsn60ry. GeneliI.ogiailsrudy
is thought of as the pastime of those with
more time than they know what to do
with ("Oh yes, myoId maid great-aunt
did some work on our genealogy one
time!").
. Bill what, you say, doesthis have to
dowithblstory? Muchirievetyway! The
neglect tlf family hlStoryhas contributed
in no little measure to the ease with
which histoiians have distoned ourpast.
Consider:
k used to be that history was not the
sole province of profi:ssional histotiaus.
Nearly everyone knew the truth about
what had happened in the past because
they lmew their family histories. "Great,
great grandpa was there and here's what
hedidandsaid." msuchadrcumstance,
it was ahnost impossible for men to do
much to distOlt the historical record.
Any historian withrevolutionarydesigns
would have faced quite formidable
opposition if he had ttied to monkey
with the facts. Too many people had
already heard the truth and it was most
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difficult for a WIiter to get away with lies.
But it is not so today.
Today, there are high school stu-
dents who do not even know their
grandparents, much less their
great-grandparents or further back. This
has contributed, in no little measure, to
the ease with which modem historians
have been able to re-WIite our past.
When history becomes deper-
sonalized, men lose asense of "property"
in the past. In losing !bese first-hand
accounts from family
members, this is exactly
whatwe have lost. ltused
to be that people had a
"stake" in history and felt
a responsibility for it.
Their family's reputation
and accomplishments
were important to pre-
serve. Many would be
upset over any perceived
distortion. Today, be-
causethereareso fewwho
knowtheirpasr., thismajor
check against misrepre-
sentation has been
removed. Thosewho still
Imow their past are made
to look like kooks and
fanatics since they are so
few in number.
One of the goals of our humanistic
educational y ~ has been to divorce
us from the past. Ithassucceeded. Ithas
done so by 1) discrediting our heritage
tbrough ridicule of its theological TOOts,
2) by de-emphasizing the family and
making it irrelevant, and 3) byempba-
sizing !be importance of the individual
and the present. AsaresuIt,mostpeople
are utterly unfamiJiar with their great
-great-grandparents and, what is worse,
they do not care to know them. Such
infonnationseemstrillingandworthless.
This is always the case in a sOciety
where God's covenant is despised. To
most modems, God's covenant has
nothingtodowithhistoryortheirpresent
condition. Historyhas become irrelevant
andmeaningless. 'Ip.eyseenoconnection
between their existence and those who
preceded them. There is no sense of
continuity with the past and,
consequently, they feel no personal
responsibility for it.
This has been, in part, responsible for
the radical rootlessness that permeates
our generation. Because men have
divorced themselves from their families,
thereisno.9:!nse of continuity, belonging,
or purpose. The influence of history is
ignored and thus, it loses its importance
in the eyes of many. Thepresentisallthat
matters. The loss of family history has
greatly contributed to this.
Contrast this modem attitude with
the emphasis of Scripture. Family
genealogies play an important role in
God's Word and in the history of God's
people. Sometimes they stand as
warningstomenoftheevilconsequences
of impenitence and rebellion. Sometitues
theyencourageustoseeGod'sfaithfulness
in maintaining a faithful and godly
generation in the earth. Because God
works in tenus of His covenant with
men, families and family lines are
extremely significant.
Family history used to bea treasure to
be passedonandentrustedto the children
in order to teach them the powerful
lessons of God's covenant faithfulness. It
was important for the children to see by
familial example tbat God honors those
that honor Him and brings to nought all
who rebel against Him. The "black
sheep' of !be family were not ignOl-ed.
Both "black" and "white" sheep were
discussed so that the children would
learn the ways of God and
fear Him for His dealings
with their family. Theloss
of family history is a costly
loss. It must be recovered.
A Imowledge of our
family's history will give to
usasense of God'smajestic
faithfulness through the
years. It will impart to us
again a proper sense of
"place"in the small portion
of time and space we
occupy here on earth. It
win restore to us !be holy
pressure of !be covenant to
"do our pan" to maintain a
faitbful testimony for !be
Saviorinourgeneration. It
will \emind us of the
rnarvelousmysteryand!be
vast complexity of God's providence. It
will bestow upon us a seemly humility
and a gratitude to Godforourfathersand
what He has given us !brough them (all
which is too often absent in !be lives of
most in our day).
Obviously, we dare not take
Pharisaical pride in our blood lines.
Francis Bacon once remarked that !bose
who take overmuch plidein their lineage
reminded him of potatoes. Such people,
Bacon said, clearly reveal that "their best
pans are underground!" We must not
idolize our heritage, but to despise it is
Satanic. Look into yourroots and rejoice
over God's mercy and covenant
10vingkindness!D.
February, March 1993 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ~ 5

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