ISAIAH 58:6-11 | WHAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL?

WHAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL?

ISAIAH 58:6-11

NOVEMBER 6, 2016

IN 1892, THE UNITED STATES OBSERVED THE 400^TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ LANDING IN AMERICA.

AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION, THE CITY OF CHICAGO (CONGRATULATIONS  CUBS!) SPONSORED A WORLD’S FAIR WHICH CARRIED OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.

IT WAS EARLY IN THE SUMMER OF 1893 THAT A GROUP OF PROFESSORS FROM WELLESLEY COLLEGE IN MASSACHUSETTS VISITED THE EXPOSITION ON THEIR WAY TO TEACH SUMMER SCHOOL IN COLORADO.

AT THE CLOSE OF SCHOOL, THE TEACHERS DECIDED TO VISIT PIKE’S PEAK, ELEVATION 14,000 FEET.  AMONG THEM WAS KATHERINE LEE BATES.

THIS IS WHAT SHE LATER WROTE:

“WE HIRED A PRAIRIE WAGON. NEAR THE TOP WE HAD TO LEAVE THE WAGON AND GO THE REST OF THE WAY ON MULES.  I WAS VERY TIRED.  BUT WHEN I SAW THE VIEW, I FELT GREAT JOY.   ALL THE WONDER OF AMERICA SEEMED DISPLAYED THERE, WITH THE SEA-LIKE EXPANSE…

IT WAS THEN AND THERE, AS I WAS LOOKING OUT OVER THE SEA-LIKE EXPANSE OF FERTILE COUNTRY SPREADING AWAY SO FAR UNDER THOSE AMPLE SKIES, THAT THE OPENING LINES OF THE HYMN FLOATED INTO MY MIND.

WHEN WE LEFT COLORADO SPRINGS THE FOUR STANZAS WERE PENCILED IN MY NOTEBOOK… THE WELLESLEY WORK SOON ABSORBED TIME AND ATTENTION AGAIN, THE NOTEBOOK WAS LAID ASIDE, AND I DO NOT REMEMBER PAYING HEED TO THESE VERSES UNTIL THE SECOND SUMMER FOLLOWING, WHEN I COPIED THEM AND SENT THEM TO THE CONGREGATIONALIST, WHERE THEY FIRST APPEARED IN PRINT JULY 4, 1895.

THE HYMN ATTRACTED AN UNEXPECTED AMOUNT OF ATTENTION…  IN 1904, I REWROTE IT, TRYING TO MAKE THE PHRASEOLOGY MORE SIMPLE AND DIRECT.

THE NEW VERSION FIRST APPEARED IN THE BOSTON EVENING TRANSCRIPT NOVEMBER 4, 1904.”

THE HYMN?  AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL.  WRITTEN BY KATHARINE LEE BATES AT THE AGE OF 33.

THE TUNE, MATERNA WAS WRITTEN BY CHURCH ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER SAMUEL AUGUSTUS WARD OF THE GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IT IS SAID THAT WARD WROTE THE TUNE WHILE CROSSING NEW YORK HARBOR AFTER A DAY OF FUN AT CONEY ISLAND.  ANXIOUS TO GET THE TUNE DOWN IN WRITING, HE WROTE THE NOTES ON THE SLEEVE OF HIS SHIRT.

WARD DIED IN 1903 NEVER KNOWING THE NATIONAL STATURE HIS MUSIC WOULD ATTAIN; BATES WAS MORE FORTUNATE, HER SONG, WELL ESTABLISHED BY 1929 WHEN SHE DIED.

AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL.  WHEN I DECIDED TO ENTITLE MY SERMON: WHAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL?  I FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT MAKING IT JUST A STATEMENT – LIKE THE HYMN TITLE – NO QUESTION MARK.

THEN, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND THE HYMN, AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL I FIGURED THE QUESTION MARK WAS BETTER; AFTER ALL, IT BEING A QUESTION FOR ALL OF US.

WHAT DO I BELIEVE MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL?

BEFORE TRYING TO ANSWER THAT, AND GIVING YOU A LITTLE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT YOURSELVES, I THINK ITS HELPFUL TO LOOK AT WHAT KATHRINE LEE BATES BELIEVED MADE AMERICA BEAUTIFUL.

BY HER OWN ADMISSION HER TRIP WEST INFLUENCED HER GREATLY.  THERE WAS, AT THE 1892 CHICAGO WORLD’S FAIR IN THE WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION A DISPLAY ENTITLED “WHITE CITY” WITH ITS PROMISE OF THE FUTURE CONTAINED IN ALABASTER BUILDINGS.

THERE WERE THE WHEAT FIELDS OF KANSAS THROUGH WHICH BATES AND HER FELLOW PROFESSORS ROAD BY TRAIN IN JULY OF 1893; THERE WAS PIKE’S PEAK AND THE COLORADO ROCKIES, ALL BELOW THE GREAT EXPANSE OF SKY.

IT’S ALL THERE IN HER HYMN – THE SPACIOUS SKIES, THE AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN, THE PURPLE MOUNTAINS MAJESTIES, THE FRUITED PLAINS, THE ALABASTER CITIES…

ALL OF AMERICA’S BEAUTY ON DISPLAY, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, WHICH WE WHO LIVE AND VISIT HERE IN KEY WEST KNOW, OH, SO WELL.

BUT THERE’S MORE, OF COURSE.

THERE ARE PILGRIM’S FEET; AND THOROUGHFARES OF FREEDOM; THERE ARE PATRIOT DREAMS; THERE IS BROTHERHOOD AND NOBLENESS; THERE IS SELF-CONTROL AND LIBERTY IN LAW; THERE ARE HEROES WHO PROVE IN LIBERATING STRIFE, WHO MORE THAN SELF THEIR COUNTRY LOVE, AND MERCY MORE THAN LIFE.

BUT THERE’S STILL MORE THAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL ACCORDING TO THE HYMN – AND AS PEOPLE OF FAITH – THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE LOST ON US, OF ALL PEOPLE.

FOR THERE ARE PRAYERS FOR GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE; THERE ARE PRAYERS THAT GOD WOULD REFINE OUR GOLD, AND MEND OUR EVERY FLAW; THERE ARE PRAYERS THAT GOD WOULD BLESS AMERICA.

AND AS FORMER PEACE COVENANT PASTOR LEN MILLISON WAS FOND OF SAYING, AND AS ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER JOE LOWE HAS PICKED UP ON, AS YOU HEARD IN THE PIECE THE CHOIR SANG EARLIER, THERE IS A NEED FOR AMERICA TO BLESS GOD.

WHAT’S BEAUTIFUL ABOUT AMERICA?  ITS LAND AND ITS LAWS.  ITS PEOPLE AND ITS NATURE.  IT WILDERNESSES AND ITS CITIES.  ITS BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD AND SERVANTHOOD.

ITS FAITH IN AND ITS NEED FOR ALMIGHTY GOD.

BUT ITS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST MOUTH THESE WORDS, TO RECITE THEM AS PATRIOTIC PLATITUDES – WE MUST LIVE THEM, AND ALLOW OTHERS TO LIVE THEM AS WELL.

THESE ARE KATHERINE LEE BATES’ ANSWERS, AND PERHAPS, YOURS AS WELL;

BUT ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS IS THAT WE, EACH OF US, ALL OF US, HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS WE WANT.

WE GET TO SAY WHAT’S BEAUTIFUL ABOUT AMERICA, AND WHAT’S NOT.

WE GET TO SAY WHAT ITS FLAWS ARE, AND WHERE ITS GOLD NEEDS REFINING, OR NOT.

WE GET TO SAY HOW WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT; AND HOW WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.

OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH HAS SOMETHING TO SAY TO US AS WELL, AS WE GO ABOUT THE TASK OF DECIDING WHAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL.

THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM BEING IN EXILE – AWAY FROM THEIR NATIVE LAND.  GOD HAS BEGUN THE PROCESS OF RESTORING THEM AS A NATION.

AND AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR HISTORIC WAY OF DOING THINGS; ENACTING THE SAME LAWS; OBSERVING THE SAME FASTS; OFFERING THE SAME SACRIFICES; WORSHIPPING IN THE SAME WAYS THEY ALWAYS WORSHIPPED; SEEKING TO RETURN TO THE WAY THEY USED TO DO THINGS.

UNFORTUNATELY, NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED; AND THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO THEIR HOMELAND, THEY ARE MYSTIFIED AS TO WHY GOD HAS NOT YET RESTORED THEM TO THEIR FORMER GLORY;

WHY GOD IS SO SLOW TO RAISE THEM UP TO THE PROMINENCE THEY ONCE KNEW.

IT IS HERE THAT GOD GIVES THE PROPHET ISAIAH THE WORDS TO SPEAK.  WHAT GOD WANTS IS MORE THAN THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD.

IN FACT, WHAT GOD IS SAYING IS THAT IT IS THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD THAT GOT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL INTO TROUBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE; AND RETURNING TO THEIR OLD WAYS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO RESTORE THEM TO THEIR FORMER, MUCH LESS, THEIR FUTURE, GLORY.

SO, WHAT DOES GOD WANT?  WHAT EXACTLY IS GOD LOOKING FOR?  WHAT IS IT THAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL NEED TO BE DOING TO MAKE THEMSELVES GREAT AGAIN AND STRONGER TOGETHER?

WELL, GOD’S NOT SHY ABOUT LETTING THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS!

LISTEN ONCE MORE TO THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH THE MOUTH OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH:

“THIS IS THE FAST I CHOOSE: TO LOOSE THE BONDS OF INJUSTICE, TO UNDO THE THONGS OF THE YOKE, TO LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE, AND TO BREAK EVERY YOKE;

TO SHARE YOUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY, AND BRING THE HOMELESS INTO YOUR HOUSE; WHEN YOU SEE THE NAKED, TO COVER THEM…”

AND THERE’S MORE:

“…REMOVE THE YOKE FROM AMONG YOU, THE POINTING OF THE FINGER, THE SPEAKING OF EVIL… IF YOU OFFER YOUR FOOD TO THE HUNGRY AND SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE AFFLICTED, THEN YOUR LIGHT SHALL RISE IN THE DARKNESS AND YOUR GLOOM BE LIKE THE NOONDAY…”

AND ALL OF THIS COMES WITH THE PROMISE OF GOD’S BLESSING; THAT IF THE ISRAELITES WILL LIVE TOGETHER LIKE THIS, GOD WILL MAKE THEM GREAT AGAIN, AND STRONGER TOGETHER.

BY THE WAY, IF SOME OF THOSE WORDS SOUND FAMILIAR, IT’S BECAUSE THEY ARE – THEY ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS JESUS SAYS HE WILL DO WHEN HE MAKES ONE OF HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCES IN NAZARETH, AS GOD’S ANOINTED LORD AND SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

THESE ARE THE THINGS – THE PROPHET ISAIAH, AND JESUS CHRIST, SAY WILL MAKE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL GREAT AGAIN, AND STRONGER TOGETHER.

JUSTICE, FREEDOM, LIBERATION, CARING ABOUT ONE ANOTHER, HELPING THOSE IN NEED, SPEAKING GOOD NOT EVIL OF EACH OTHER, TREATING ONE ANOTHER AS WE OURSELVES WANT TO BE TREATED.

WHAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL?  THE LIST IS ENDLESS, AND EACH OF US, AND ALL OF US, TOGETHER, GET TO DECIDE.

AS KATHERINE LEE BATES SUGGESTS, IT IS THE GREAT MIXTURE OF LAND AND LAW, OF PEOPLE AND PLACES, OF FREEDOM AND FEELING.

IT IS LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL; IT’S ONE NATION, UNDER GOD; IT’S BEING A NATION OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

WE HAVE BUT TWO OPTIONS AS CITIZENS OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – WE CAN CHOOSE HOPE OR DESPAIR.

FAR TOO MANY OF US, WHEREVER WE HAPPEN TO LAND ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, ARE CHOOSING DESPAIR.

MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE A TRAIN TRIP FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO CHICAGO THROUGH KANSAS TO COLORADO AND CLIMB PIKE’S PEAK LIKE KATHERINE LEE BATES AND HER FELLOW PROFESSORS DID;

OR MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO STOP AND SING A VERSE OR TWO, OR ALL FOUR OF, AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL WHENEVER WE FEEL SUCH DESPAIR.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO, AS CITIZENS, AS CHRISTIANS, IS TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE, IN OUR PARISH, OUR CITY, STATE, AND NATION, DOING THE WORK OF GOD WHEREVER WE GO.

JOHN WESLEY, AN ANGLICAN PRIEST AND ENGLISH REVIVAL PREACHER WHO FOUNDED METHODISM ABOUT THREE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, REGARDED THE WHOLE WORLD AS HIS PARISH AND EVERY PLACE TO PROCLAIM THE “GLAD TIDINGS” OF THE GOSPEL.

BY THE WAY, IT WAS HIS NEPHEW CHARLES WHO WROTE THE MUSIC THAT JOHN PENKOSKE PLAYED AS THIS MORNING’S PRELUDE.

JOHN WESLEY HAD A FULLER, BROADER, AND TO MY WAY OF THINKING, BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SALVATION.  IN HIS OWN WORDS:

SALVATION IS “NOT BARELY, ACCORDING TO THE VULGAR NOTION, DELIVERANCE FROM HELL, OR GOING TO HEAVEN, BUT A PRESENT DELIVERANCE FROM SIN…

A RESTORATION OF THE SOUL… THE RENEWAL OF OUR SOULS AFTER THE IMAGE OF GOD, IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS, IN JUSTICE, MERCY, AND TRUTH.”

WESLEY TAUGHT HIS LEGIONS OF CONVERTS THREE CENTURIES AGO WHAT THIS MEANS:

DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN,

BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN,

IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN,

IN ALL THE PLACES YOU CAN,

AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN,

TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU CAN,

AS LONG AS EVER YOU CAN.

IT IS, IN ESSENCE, THE GOLDEN RULE, ON STEROIDS!!

AND IT’S NOT A BAD WAY TO BE A CHRISTIAN; AND A CITIZEN; AND A NATION OF CITIZENS.

I HOPE YOU SAW WHAT I WROTE IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER; ACTUALLY, WHAT SOME OF OUR FORMER AND SOON-TO-BE FORMER PRESIDENTS HAVE SAID ABOUT AMERICA.

IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO ALREADY, PLEASE VOTE YOUR CONVICTIONS, AS A CHRISTIAN, AND AS A CITIZEN, THIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH.

VOTING IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES AMERICA BEAUTIFUL!

AND LET US, BLESS GOD, AMERICA!