During the Thanksgiving season we often hear that the first national Thanksgiving Proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C. on October 3, 1863. What the northern history books fail to mention is that Lincoln, bowing to political pressure, copied the President of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis actually had made the first national Proclamation of Thanksgiving two years earlier in Richmond, Virginia. Here it is:

Proclamation of Thanksgiving, 1861
by President Jefferson Davis

WHEREAS, it hath pleased Almighty God, the Sovereign Disposer of events, to protect and defend us hitherto in our conflicts with our enemies as to be unto them a shield.

And whereas, with grateful thanks we recognize His hand and acknowledge that not unto us, but unto Him, belongeth the victory, and in humble dependence upon His almighty strength, and trusting in the justness of our purpose, we appeal to Him that He may set at naught the efforts of our enemies, and humble them to confusion and shame.

Now therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, in view of impending conflict, do hereby set apart Friday, the 15th day of November, as a day of national humiliation and prayer, and do hereby invite the reverend clergy and the people of these Confederate States to repair on that day to their homes and usual places of public worship, and to implore blessing of Almighty God upon our people, that he may give us victory over our enemies, preserve our homes and altars from pollution, and secure to us the restoration of peace and prosperity.

Given under hand and seal of the Confederate States at Richmond, this the 31st day of October, year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

By the President,
JEFFERSON DAVIS

(Thank you to the English Friends of The South Facebook page)

While the primary Confederate Colonel interest in this video is the shift from agrarian to industrial society, he brings an important message about why Common Core must be opposed and stopped. For our part, we choose to home school and completely bypass the government indoctrination system.

In addition, this is a good time to point out another project that I am working on – The New Southern Agrarians. From the home page of The New Southern Agrarians:

What is Southern Agrarianism? Who were the Southern Agrarians and what did they believe? Does Southern Agrarianism have a place in today’s society? More importantly, does Southern Agrarianism show us a better way – a new path to take as we walk away from the rubble of a collapsed civilization built upon that which the Southern Agrarians warned us about? Those questions, and more, are what this web site hopes to answer.

The New Southern Agrarians is little more than what is quoted above at this time. It is, however, something I consider to be an important project and one that I will be working on.

Last month, Food Network chef Paula Deen gave a videotaped deposition as part of a discrimination suit she’s facing in which she discussed her desire to have a “very southern style wedding” for her brother modeled after a restaurant where the “whole entire wait staff was middle-aged black men” clad in white jackets and black bow ties, according to a transcript of the deposition filed in federal court in Georgia. Deen also admitted to having used the N word and discussed the ways the word could be “not said in a mean way.” (source)

Her “incriminating” statement? “Yes, of course,” said Deen, when asked by a lawyer if she had ever used the “N word.”(source). So, we have someone with the honesty to affirm that she had said something that she regrets saying. Are we to believe that all those media figures who are expressing shock and outrage have never done anything like that in their entire life? Remember, the question was if she had ever used that word.

While she is being destroyed for using the word “nigger” (referring to “the N-word” is beyond childish – as though it would cast some evil spell), this is hypocritical exploitation in its purest form. The media has seized upon the use of a “forbidden word”, used in a private meeting, to attack a Southern icon. Her real crime? Having the audacity to discuss a “very Southern style wedding” based on imagery from one of the most widely-known romance novels of all time – Gone With The Wind. She wanted to recreate another time for her brother’s wedding and, horror of horrors, she wanted to use the race of those who would be hired to make it more historically accurate. Those who would be serving the food would essentially be actors in a play, yet because such ideas apparently provoke a feeling of being horribly offended by the oh-so-sensitive class, she is being publicly scorned. Try doing a Google search for “plantation wedding” – it’s a very popular venue.

Am I saying that using racial slurs to offend someone is acceptable? No, of course not. This blog is about the Southern gentleman, and a Southern gentleman shows respect to all – at least until such time that they demonstrate that they are completely unworthy of such respect. Even at that point though, the Southern gentleman has a vocabulary large enough to find and use a better choice of words.

As one who had embraced radical libertarianism while in college in the early 1970’s, I fully understand the attraction of an individual-based system. I associated with others who introduced me to the libertarian concept, and who were active in the libertarian political scene. That was a time when trusting in “self” and radical self-government appeared to be the solution to all life’s problems. Instead, it was a Utopian fantasy. One of the blessings of growing up is the ability to understand the shortcomings of all men, including ones self.

He goes into much greater detail, but this section of the post will give you a good idea of what it is about. Be sure to read the entire post.

If humanity does not shrug off this illusion, it will self-destruct.

Here at Amerika, we retaliate with a few ideas:

• There is no equality. Crush their primal taboo, which is the idea of no hierarchy. We all have different abilities and most importantly, moral character. Some are stronger than others.
• Bring back the monarchy. We trust in institutions and lists of rules to make our leaders honest. It doesn’t work. Instead, pick honest leaders, or people who are ahead of the rest of us in moral character and leadership ability.
• Social Darwinism is a friend. Stop saving people from themselves. Stop welfare, stop subsidies, stop warnings. We don’t need (to) save people from themselves. Let natural selection work for us.
• Focus on nature. Our cities and even suburbs are designed to hide nature away. Instead, make sure everything is surrounded by forest so that people always know primal fear, and transcendental beauty.

Mr. Stevens’ Amerika blog has been a part of my regular reading for quite a while – highly recommended.

Scoutmaster – by Norman Rockwell

The Boy Scouts is no more, but there are still boys. There are still vast woods and lots of sticks with which to build fires. There are still plenty of good men who want to introduce boys to manhood. One doesn’t need a corporate-funded super-organization to take a pack of boys into the woods and learn about survival. It’s time to begin anew.

I have titled this post “Boy Scouts Version 3.0″ to identify what comes next. I was fortunate enough to have been a Boy Scout during version 1.0 – before political correctness did what it always does and destroy the traditional culture. I was in Scouting in the early 1960’s. What we are seeing now is version 2.0, but it won’t be long before 2.0 will be so different from 1.0 as to be unrecognizable as the same organization. In time, the Boy Scouts will be much like a church that decides it is more important to please Man than to obey God. The good people begin to leave as the worldly people take over. The process accelerates until it becomes little more than a social club for nice people.

What happens to those who leave because Scouting has become what it was intended to protect boys and young men from? The Thinking Housewife is correct:
• There are still plenty of good men who want to help boys become men.
• There is no requirement for a massive organization and corporate sponsorship.

It is time for the Scouting equivalent of Home-schooling.

A very dear friend of mine has a granddaughter who will be seven years old in a couple of weeks. I carefully selected her gift to be something age appropriate and that encourages girlhood from a Biblical perspective. I’ve written her a letter to include with her gift but I felt the need to share this letter with other young girls and their mothers.

Dear Sweet Hannah Grace,

Happy Birthday! Seven is such a wonderful time in a little girl’s life. You have already learned so many things but it’s just the beginning. There is a whole world full of wonders out there waiting for you to discover them.

For your birthday, this is my special prayer for you:
That you will always love God – He always loves you.
That you will love and respect your parents.
That you will love and protect your baby brother.

I know you may not understand all of this right now but one day you will. Do not be in a hurry to grow up. Ride horses, swim, sing silly songs at the top of your lungs, swing as high as you can on a swing, run, play, catch lightening bugs in jars on a summer night, spin around until you get dizzy, make daisy chains, share secrets with your friends and laugh until you get the hiccups. Hang onto the sweetness that every day of this precious time in your life holds.

I also want you to know that you are surrounded by family and friends who want only the best things in life for you and will always love you.

These activities might seem immature to some but they are the activities that filled my own summer days in the South when I was a little girl. I long to see my grandchildren experience these things for themselves.

Let’s stop encouraging our daughters (sons too, for that matter) to grow up too fast. Encourage them instead to do the things I wrote above to this sweet little girl. Help them to maintain their childlike innocence just as long as possible. For once innocence is lost, it can never be recovered.

This short video illustrates a boy’s entry into manhood; it requires no words.

The Hazardous Journeys Society (HJS) was founded to give glory to God, not man, as part of an exciting effort of world exploration. The purpose of the HJS is to provide teams of intrepid adventurers, photographers, students, scientists, journalists, and naturalists with an opportunity to engage in journeys of discover around the globe and to interpret their findings from a perspective that honors the Creator.
External Links

www.hazardousjourneys.org

One year ago, families from all across the country came together to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. It was an incredible event and one which gave glory to God for His hand of grace on the lives of the men who sacrificed themselves on that cold April night. With more than a hundred reenactors, soul-stirring messages, many live performances that highlighted the music of the era, and a memorable dinner cruise, we have been told by many that it was one of the most moving events in the history of Vision Forum Ministries.

The hundred-year mark of Titanic’s sinking truly stands as a place holder in a culture which has forgotten what it means to act nobly, to willingly give your life for another, and to honor women and children. At the heart of the forgotten notion of chivalry is the biblical doctrine of male sacrifice. This was exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ who gave his life for his “Bride,” the Church.

But the legacy of the men of the Titanic may not be ignored and left to end after its centennial mark. Click here to view a collection of more then thirty music, message, and performance clips from the Titanic 100.

The Legacy and Ongoing Work of the CBMTS

More than fifteen years ago, my father founded the Christian Boys’ & Men’s Titanic Society (CBMTS) to promote the biblical understanding of “Women and Children First” to future generations. Our goal is to study the many spiritual lessons which can be derived from the sinking of the Titanic and to apply them to our lives today, both spiritually and practically. Since that time, the CBMTS has come together for one evening each year to commemorate the legacy of the Titanic and to remind boys and men of our duty to carry the mantle of sacrificial manhood.

Last year, for the one hundredth anniversary celebration, my father passed the baton of leadership for the society to me. My desire is to see this important work advance. This next week, a group of men and boys will be gathering in San Antonio, Texas, headquarters of the Christian Boys’ & Men’s Titanic Society, to continue to honor the men of the Titanic and to commit to living sacrificially as we remember this monumental event with our annual dinner.

An Appeal to You: Gather a Dozen Friends and Hold Your Own Titanic Dinner

This year, I also would like to encourage each of you to begin a similar tradition. It doesn’t need to be big; it doesn’t need to be complicated. Just gather a few or many of your friends together for an evening meal of prayer, thanksgiving, and commemoration as men. What a wonderful thing it would be to know that, in dozens of places around the country, men are gathering to honor those who went before us!

How to Host a Dinner

The elements are simple:

• Gather your friends (men and boys).
• Eat out or in, but make it a memorable feast.
• Read excerpts from The Sinking of the Titanic or other historical accounts.
• Let each person share a Scripture, prayer, poem, or toast.
• Exhort each other to noble leadership and sacrifice.
• Leave a record of your gathering in some form or another for the future.

Remembering the legacy of an event from so long ago is not just about getting together, but it is about gathering, giving thanks, and applying the lessons to our own life.

For Women and Children First,

Joshua Titus Phillips
President, The CBMTS

Three things come to mind as I consider where this country is headed – and where we are being dragged against our will. The first two are signposts along the way. The last is a look back at the culture and civilization America is leaving behind.

• The ban on women in combat has now been removed. Since the Old Testament days, the idea of sending women into combat was simply unthinkable. For thousands of years of human history, we had the good sense to understand the different roles of men and women in society. No civilized society worthy of the name would even consider such an idea. But then, we no longer are a civilized society, are we? The military is no longer a force to defend against foreign enemies and a deterrent to aggression. With this following in the footsteps of embracing open homosexuals in the military, our armed forces are now just another instrument of social change.

• The Boy Scouts of America have announced that they may lift the ban on homosexual Scouts and Scout leaders. The Boy Scout Oath ends with the words, “To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.” Those are words that helped guide untold thousands of young boys into manhood – including myself. Those are words that will no longer have any real meaning if Scouting caves in under the pressure of the Cultural Marxists now in charge. One of the few remaining institutions that stood for what is good and right appears about to crumble.

• In contrast to those two items, our church just finished its 15th annual Bible Conference. One of my roles during the conference is to take photos to post on our church web site. As I snapped photos of the people during this four-day event, I was struck by the stark difference between what I saw there and what is now celebrated as the norm of present-day American “culture.” There were individuals and families (some spanning three generations), the ladies were all dressed modestly, the men were neatly dressed and well groomed. Everyone was as kind and polite as can be. People pitched in to help in any way they could. It was a slice of Norman Rockwell Americana. It was the way life is supposed to be in a civilized Western society.

Find and cherish the enclaves of our culture. Nurture and care for them. We are truly Leaving the American Sector.

There’s just something warm and friendly and giving about our Southern culture.