Wednesday Wonder

One of the destinations of our congregation’s recent heritage pilgrimage was to the historic meeting house at Cane Ridge, Kentucky. This was the site of the great 1801 revival where more than 20,000 people converged for a week-long gathering of preaching, worship and sharing an open Lord’s Table with all believers, regardless of denominational affiliation. One of the founders of our movement, Barton Stone, was the host pastor and progenitor of the revival. Just before the revival Stone married a Miss Sarah Bolton, seventeen years old at the time. They returned to Cane Ridge and her new home just in time to witness what could only be described as the biggest religious Woodstock of its time.

Barton’s Bride

Money and time tell the honeymoon story:

The places they go

the things they do

all framed by calendar and checkbook

There are the Bahamas or camping in Arkansas

African Safari or a weekend in Daytona Beach

Himalayan trek or a cheap hotel in Jefferson City

The story of honeymoon told by time and money

But ever so often circumstance tells more

like couples who kiss just before he deploys

work jobs that don’t wait for love

and postpone delight for a later day

You wonder what he told her

when they headed to Kentucky

promises of new adventure

lashed to the saddle with hope

her wedding reception a revival

new home on the fair grounds

the sound of preachers and peddlers

ringing like church bells

              (Tim Carson, July 2010)