History

A Long Long Time Ago… or … Will We Remember?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Pieter Stok

I love Roman archaeology:  Hadrian’s Wall, the Forum, aqueducts, amphitheatres, Roman Roads, baths and the list goes on. Wherever the Romans went they left their mark. You cannot travel around Europe without being aware that eons ago this civilisation was dominant in much of Europe, and in deed, northern Africa and Palestine. Even the builders of Winchester Cathedral became acutely aware of the Romans when they realised their building was sinking because the land was once a river which neat Romans had straightened out.

In two thousand years time, or even 1000, or maybe 500, if Christ hasn’t returned, will people be aware of C21st western Christianity? Will there be vibrant bodies of Christ challenging the ethos of the day and declaring biblical alternatives? Will there be people of passion seeking the spiritual health of the souls of men, women and children? Will there be a zeal for justice and the plight of the voiceless? Will there be worship that gives society a glimpse of heaven in the midst of the daily grind? Will Jesus be known?

Nearly 500 years ago, on October 31st, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses against indulgences on the door of the Castle Church Wittenberg. Many consider this to be the match that lit the Reformation. Other reforming hearts had come before him; Wycliffe, Tyndale, Hus and many others, but the time was right to challenge unbiblical views within the church of the day. The remembrance of this monumental event in history is even being forgotten in the churches this event begot.

It is a scary thought. Except, thank God, the advancement of the gospel is not in our hands. Although we are responsible.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.  Deut 4:9

God’s people on their Journey to the promised land were urged to remember the events that had occurred and laws that had been given up to this point. They were all pointers to God’s amazing grace. Forget them and they will forget God and His message and purpose for them.

Our churches and families have an important and monumental task to teach our children and children’s children about God, His message and purpose for them.

Categories: 95 Theses, christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, History, Reformation | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Was The Past Really Simpler?

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Mr Spears Allansford

When I have a minute here or there I love browsing through my photos. They are great memory-triggers recalling times, events and people from the past – recent and distant.

The photo above was taken in 1954 in Allansford, Victoria. We had only arrived in Australia a short time earlier  and after having stayed with a lovely Australian family we moved to a house in Allansford. One of the neighbours was the farmer in the picture. Most farmers had moved to tractors long ago but Mr Spears preferred the traditional methods. He wasn’t bound by engines or petrol prices. Many farmers kept a foot in the past and the present. I remember the thrill of helping rig up the horse and buggy at a friend’s farm because the old WW2 army Jeep wouldn’t start. It was important that we get the 10 gallon milk cans to the depot for pick up by the truck from the local butter factory. Riding in the buggy along the highway was a special pleasure.

When we lived in town I also remember hanging the billy-can on the side of the milk collection depot. One of the local farmers would fill these for the town locals; none of the pasteurised, homogenised and diluted rubbish in those days.

In my lifetime so much has changed for good and evil. Yet sometimes in the madness of a busy day I do fondly remember a time and place that was simpler. One of the reasons it was simpler was that I was young and did not have adult concerns. However the picture above makes me think the simplicity was due to more than just my youthful naivety.

Categories: History, Photo, Reflections | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Nostalgia Isn’t What It Used To Be

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Opa and the bakery cart

I know I have stolen the title above but it caused me to reflect on my father. For a while my dad was an itinerant hawker selling fruit and vegetables from home to home,  around Ocean Grove and Geelong. There was a tradition in my family of this type of work. A grandfather and a great grandfather had done the same. In fact it was an age of home delivery. The baker, butcher, iceman, milkman and even the draper came in vans on a regular basis. I remember the Rawleigh man coming with his suitcase of lotions and potions. The memories of hearing the milkman’s horse clip clopping past the house in the early morning and chasing the iceman for a piece of ice on a hot dusty day in summer, is still strong.

Slowly these mobile salesmen (I don’t remember ever seeing a woman do this) have faded into the past. Supermarkets and cars led to their demise.  Nothing ever stays the same. Today we are seeing a modern version: Internet sales. The sales people are in our homes and what we want is delivered to our doors. I have to confess that a lot of my purchases are now delivered by my “Pay” pal.

Yet I still miss riding in the back of my dad’s truck during the holidays “helping” him on his rounds and meeting his amazing variety of customers; migrants from all parts of Europe, a WW1 gas attack survivor, and a seaman who had clung to a table when the Titanic sank.  My dad being a gregarious man elicited amazing stories from these, now long gone, people. And I miss the smell of fresh bread wafting from the back of the baker’s van. Horses and carts on the street, even a few, seemed to have a way of slowing life down to a more reasonable pace.

The internet is helpful and efficient. Its range is enormous. But give me the hawkers and the colour and life they brought from house to house. I can’t imagine my children ever being nostalgic about a mouse click on an internet sales site.

Categories: Family, History, Reflections, Uncategorized | Tags: , | 3 Comments

Geneva – The Heart of the Reformation

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Today was a fabulous day for a Calvinist lad. Hetty (not hefty – certainly not after walking 125 kms) and I went to Geneva. We visited the old city where there is a museum dedicated to the Reformation. It was informative, well laid out and we could have spent the whole day there. It narrated the story of the Reformation, its issues and its key people. There was material for all ages, including audio and visual presentations. I found the last room, which presented Protestant worship around the world, very moving. But we didn’t stay all day!

Next to the museum is St Peter’s Cathedral under which, is the most incredible area of archeology I have ever seen. The detailed information, the extent of the work, the overview from the 1st century to more recent years and the presentation, was an unexpected delight. Any person who loves archeology and visits Geneva must go. The whole set up is Swiss efficiency at its best. The same can’t be said of the Post Office which was a rigmarole at its best, or is it worst? The museum and archeology visit also allowed us up the towers of St Peter’s. This must be one of the best views of Geneva!

Finally we went to the Reformation monument – a giant facade representing the key players in the Reformation. A very powerful message, which sadly, doesn’t get heard in modern Europe.

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Categories: christian, Christianity, Faith, History | 4 Comments

Moor and Christian

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Pieter Stok

I’m sitting in a restaurant in Cuenca, Spain writing this blog. We have had a most amazing four days. After traveling through Portugal we visited Sevilla, Granada, Cadiz and Cordoba. We travelled though Moor -Catholic history. The Real in Seville revealed a Moorish palace taken back by the Spanish. The Alhambra was rife with Moorish influence. However, the place that showed that intersection the most was the Mesquita in Cordoba. Here a Cathedral sits in the the heart of a Mosque. The beautiful cool Islamic mosque courtyard has been filled with a Cathedral. Very incongruous. It does reveal he relationship between Muslim and Christian over the centuries.

The Islamic influence is still clear to see in southern Spain.

A side point. If the Spanish government wants to reduce its debt, it should set up speed cameras. For most Spanish drivers, speed signs are suggestions. I am the slowest person on the roads.
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Viking Ship Museum

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Pieter Stok

Today’s post is simply a favourite photo.

This photo was taken in the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum. It is a ship built in the C11th and was later filled with rocks to form part of a blockade of a channel. It was recovered in 1962.

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Journeys Past

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Pieter Stok

The picture (left) was taken 58 years ago on the “Johan van Oldenbarnevelt” as I travelled to Australia with my parents. I was three and half years old at the time (and quite cute). It was a five week journey that took us from Amsterdam, via the Suez to Australia. The JvO made this journey many times as it delivered migrants seeking a new life. There have been moments when I wondered what my life would have been like if my family had not emigrated. But really, that is an empty exercise.

I have also wondered what drove my parents and the many others to seek this new life. Air travel and telephone communication were expensive. Keeping contact with loved ones would not be easy. For both my parents it meant that they would never see their own parents again. I know that for my father, he desired a future for himself and his family. Living in a cramped attic in post war Rotterdam and struggling to find work encouraged him to seek an alternative life.

I have been grateful for his restlessness as I have enjoyed the life and the opportunities that it has spawned. One regret is that my dad didn’t live long enough to see how his granddaughters took these opportunities to a new level.

The one constant for our family then, and my own family now, is that we both had a heavenly dad whose plans and purposes over-arched any petty plans that we may have had- big or small.

So as I blunder into 2012, I for one know that whatever my decisions and actions, there is a heavenly father who cares for me and my loved ones with an eternal perspective.

Categories: christian, Christianity, Devotional, Faith, Family, History | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

Tasmania – Beauty and Retreat

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Strahan

One of my favorite places in the world to visit and revisit is Tasmania. It isn’t just that we lived there for three years many years ago that pulls us back. There is something unique about the island that makes each return a special treat.

Cataract Gorge in Flood

It is hard to put your finger on the magical quality it has. In one sense it is just like most other western societies with consumerism and supermarkets, graffiti and all the usual social problems. In that regard it is not that much different from home. Yet, at another level, its separation from the rest of the  Australian rat race, its many places of retreat, its huge variety of scenery all within easy driving distance, makes it very appealing. If you are an elderly couple or a thrill seeker there is space and there are places for you.

Because I love European history, it is that aspect of Tasmania that appeals to me

Richmond Bridge

most. The early European settlements, the connections with Convict History, the visual reminders of the past are all present and accessible. The bridges at Richmond and Ross are worth the trip alone.

And then there is the stunning visual beauty from rugged mountains, spectacular waterfalls to the secluded inlets and coves. Being campers we have often stayed in places that would other wise be impossible. There was a night in the Tahune State Forest, another near Hell’s Gates on the west coast that are etched in my memory. And pitching a tent on the Freycinet Peninsula is obligatory.

Cradle Mountain

The aspect of Tasmania that thrills me most is that it refreshes my faith in the creator God. It reminds me that this place wasn’t an accident or a freak offshoot of chance but an glimpse of an intentional God who has a sense of beauty and magnificence. Tassie is a reminder that I need to keep my eyes and heart open for glimpses of God, not just in places, but in people and circumstances. God refreshes our soul through his Word and Spirit but there are times when He does it through what he has made.

The Infamous Port Arthur

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Changes I Have Seen In School

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Pieter Stok

Having been involved in schools as, student, parent and teacher over 55 years there have been a huge number of changes in that time. I have listed some but I’d love to read what you would like to add to this list.

1. At Ocean Grove PS we started writing with nib pens dipped into an inkwell. The inkwell

Ocean Grove Primary School circa 1957

could also be used to colour tip the hair of the blond girl with long tresses sitting in front of you. I was given the highly esteemed position of “Ink Monitor”. We had to dilute the “Swan” ink towards the end of the year as the school ran out of money. Biros were introduced in grade 5. They were expensive and novel.

2. The cuts/the strap/ corporal punishment was present (and received) through all my student life. And no, I wasn’t scarred emotionally.

3. We loved smelling the pages that came from the spirit duplicator – each page just slightly fainter than the page before. Then came the photocopiers with grey photocopy paper on a continuous roll. Now we have fancy scanners and printers that rocket along – when the work. There were also ink printing machines which wrecked your clothes with their unwashable ink.

4. If I went home and was stupid enough to say that the teacher was angry with me, my dad would add to my pain. Now, woe betide any teacher who challenges the little darlings.

5. I started with a slate and chalk – now there are iPads. Technology and communication is probably the most dramatic of all the changes.

6. Nobody had heard of drugs when I went to school. In my later teens the drugs  of concern were alcohol and cigarettes.

7. Desks were not tables and chairs, they were solid (one piece) oak furniture – and if the lid dropped on your head you would be concussed for a week.

8. We had bottles of milk (1/3 of a pint) at the start of each day. If left in the sun too long it was awful. Also, being a “Milk Monitor”, (another esteemed position) who had to deliver milk to the classes and punch holes in the silver tops, we were able to get out of folk dancing and having to hold hands with girls.

9. Class sizes were huge. There must have been well over 40 students in some classes. Now 26 is considered a big class.

10. For most students family life was far more stable in days past. However, there was far less openness about abuse and family violence. As children we all knew of others who were frequently belted and everyone (including the teachers) kept quiet about it.

11. Marching into school with martial music was the fashion when I was a student. My dad, who had experienced  WW2, thought it was appalling.

12. My early school years were also in the days before central heating. I have vivid memories of the Headmaster taking a few year 6 boys out to chop the wood and sharing it amongst the classes. He even asked the boys to hold the block of wood while he split it with the axe. Today there would be all sorts of regulations about that activity.

Things that haven’t changed

The importance of inspirational teachers.

Uniforms

Rebellion  – petty (hair length/dress length/ chewing gum …)

Rebellion – major

Nits

What changes have you noticed?

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Ships in Churches

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Pieter Stok

When we were in Europe we were intrigued by models of ships hanging in many churches. Their presence has various explanations. In some churches, notably in Scandinavia, they are reminders that they are sea faring nations and their sailors are in constant need of God’s protection. They are also reminders of those who have lost their lives at sea. In the days of sail this must have been a constant concern. Even now, when fishermen set out in their small boats, they are putting their lives on the line.

Other countries have a slightly different twist on their presence. Sometimes they are offerings (Votive Offerings – roughly translated sacrificial offerings), that is offerings given in thanks to God for, often miraculous, protection at sea.

However, ships in churches have a more metaphorical meaning. They can represent the faithful in a sea of unbelief.

The meaning extends into church architecture. The Nave, coming from the Latin ‘navis’, meaning ship, is the approach to the altar in traditional churches. In Gothic type buildings  the Nave could easily be seen as an inverted. hull of a ship. It is a reminder to the congregation that it is on a journey through life and the church is there to protect and guide, just as a ship protects and guides its passengers. This thought comes from the beautiful book, “The Secret Language of Churches and Cathedrals”.

In the New Testament a number of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. Jesus himself was closely associated with their boating activities(e.g. Mark 4: 35-40). So maybe the presence of model ships and boats in churches is not such a strange thing after all. However, like any aspect of church life, we need to know why it is there and what it represents.

Categories: Christianity, Church, History, Travel | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

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