Activist Angela Davis (l) and her good friend, novelist Toni Morrison (r).

Morrison, who was born on Feb. 18, 1931, released her novel, Beloved, in 1987. Based on the true story of a Black enslaved woman., the book was a Bestseller for 25 weeks and won countless awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Morrison became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Morrison died on Aug. 5, 2019.

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning
"His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob." Genesis 49:24

That strength which God gives to his Josephs is real strength; it is not a boasted valour, a fiction, a thing of which men talk, but which ends in smoke; it is true--divine strength. Why does Joseph stand against temptation? Because God gives him aid. There is nought that we can do without the power of God. All true strength comes from "the mighty God of Jacob." Notice in what a blessedly familiar way God gives this strength to Joseph--"The arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob." Thus God is represented as putting his hands on Joseph's hands, placing his arms on Joseph's arms. Like as a father teaches his children, so the Lord teaches them that fear him. He puts his arms upon them. Marvellous condescension! God Almighty, Eternal, Omnipotent, stoops from his throne and lays his hand upon the child's hand, stretching his arm upon the arm of Joseph, that he may be made strong! This strength was also covenant strength, for it is ascribed to "the mighty God of Jacob." Now, wherever you read of the God of Jacob in the Bible, you should remember the covenant with Jacob. Christians love to think of God's covenant. All the power, all the grace, all the blessings, all the mercies, all the comforts, all the things we have, flow to us from the well-head, through the covenant. If there were no covenant, then we should fail indeed; for all grace proceeds from it, as light and heat from the sun. No angels ascend or descend, save upon that ladder which Jacob saw, at the top of which stood a covenant God. Christian, it may be that the archers have sorely grieved you, and shot at you, and wounded you, but still your bow abides in strength; be sure, then, to ascribe all the glory to Jacob's God.

Evening
"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power." Nahum 1:3

Jehovah "is slow to anger." When mercy cometh into the world she driveth winged steeds; the axles of her chariot-wheels are red hot with speed; but when wrath goeth forth, it toileth on with tardy footsteps, for God taketh no pleasure in the sinner's death. God's rod of mercy is ever in his hands outstretched; his sword of justice is in its scabbard, held down by that pierced hand of love which bled for the sins of men. "The Lord is slow to anger," because he is great in power. He is truly great in power who hath power over himself. When God's power doth restrain himself, then it is power indeed: the power that binds omnipotence is omnipotence surpassed. A man who has a strong mind can bear to be insulted long, and only resents the wrong when a sense of right demands his action. The weak mind is irritated at a little: the strong mind bears it like a rock which moveth not, though a thousand breakers dash upon it, and cast their pitiful malice in spray upon its summit. God marketh his enemies, and yet he bestirs not himself, but holdeth in his anger. If he were less divine than he is, he would long ere this have sent forth the whole of his thunders, and emptied the magazines of heaven; he would long ere this have blasted the earth with the wondrous fires of its lower regions, and man would have been utterly destroyed; but the greatness of his power brings us mercy. Dear reader, what is your state this evening? Can you by humble faith look to Jesus, and say, "My substitute, thou art my rock, my trust"? Then, beloved, be not afraid of God's power; for by faith you have fled to Christ for refuge, the power of God need no more terrify you, than the shield and sword of the warrior need terrify those whom he loves. Rather rejoice that he who is "great in power" is your Father and Friend.

Verse of the Day: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

#kingleopoldsghost
Don’t watch it if you’re squeamish. The Congo holocaust isn’t taught in schools. I was taught in primary school that Stanley, a murderer was a hero.

It was well known that “Stanley shoots Africans like monkeys” yet someone designed a curriculum which taught me that he was a great explorer. They even named a fall in the Congo after him.

They real heroes of the story of the Congo have been lost to history.

Men like:
Edmund Dene Morel a British shipping clerk who famously wrote of Belgium’s commercial activities in the Congo, “It must be bad enough to stumble upon a murder I stumble upon a secret society of murderers”

Men like George Washington Williams who visited the Congo on news of the King Leopold’s “philanthropy”, ostensibly to see how his fellow black Americans may benefit but was horrified at what he found and because the first person to speak out at “what he witnessed, but others refused to admit” and wrote back to his newspaper these words: “Leopold’s Congo state is guilty of crimes against humanity”

The very first time in history the phrase “Crimes against humanity” was used was in 1890, 123 years ago and it was used to describe the genocide against the people of the Congo by the government of Belgium.

No one taught me that!
George Washington Williams’ name is all but lost to history- but not the phrase he coined. It lives on…

Digression:
Next time someone opposes the hashtag #blacklivesmatter, (especially an American), and says “All lives matter”, ask them:

Why then is the teaching of history considered “Wokism” teach black history?
Why do you consider it an indoctrination to teach history correctly?
Why is the teaching of Africans being brought to the Americas not considered indoctrination?

Why was Shakespeare’s 12th Night per of my syllabus but not Joseph Conrad’s “The heart of darkness”.

Many of us Africans have been sorely but calculatedly miseducated and there is a direct link between that miseducation and the continued unmitigated losses the continent suffers through corruption, poor leadership civil wars, capital flight….

…Nigeria alone has lost over half a trillion dollars since 1960 to the corrupt activities of Nigerians in positions of authority - that is about $10 billion dollars for each year of “independence”. There are 54 countries in Africa. Some have lost more many have lost less…

…the cost of not knowing our history is real…

George Santayana, Harvard professor and philosopher wrote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”

Forget Florida and it’s dour faced governor and his assault on education and African history in particular I really will like to know why the teaching of African history in Nigeria was stopped by Nigerians in government.

There should be an inquiry - the findings may be scandalous. I have my theories but will not say…

Conclusion:

#kingleopoldsghost #amazonprime…
Don’t watch it if you’re squeamish. The Congo holocaust isn’t taught in schools. Why?

The term “Crimes against humanity” was first coined 123 (one hundred and twenty three) years ago by a black American - a first hand witness of the crimes of Belgium against Africans….

I rest
#dk

(Picture of a healthy child whose hand was amputated by Belgians for not meeting his rubber quota)

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning
"God, that comforteth those that are cast down." 2 Corinthians 7:6

And who comforteth like him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to his child, let him lift up his countenance, and the mourner's eyes glisten with hope. Do you not hear him sing--

"'Tis paradise, if thou art here;

If thou depart, 'tis hell?"

You could not have cheered him: but the Lord has done it; "He is the God of all comfort." There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the gold beater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask him to shed abroad his joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job's comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy "God, that comforteth those that are cast down," and you will soon say, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."

Evening
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." Matthew 4:1

A holy character does not avert temptation--Jesus was tempted. When Satan tempts us, his sparks fall upon tinder; but in Christ's case, it was like striking sparks on water; yet the enemy continued his evil work. Now, if the devil goes on striking when there is no result, how much more will he do it when he knows what inflammable stuff our hearts are made of. Though you become greatly sanctified by the Holy Ghost, expect that the great dog of hell will bark at you still. In the haunts of men we expect to be tempted, but even seclusion will not guard us from the same trial. Jesus Christ was led away from human society into the wilderness, and was tempted of the devil. Solitude has its charms and its benefits, and may be useful in checking the lust of the eye and the pride of life; but the devil will follow us into the most lovely retreats. Do not suppose that it is only the worldly-minded who have dreadful thoughts and blasphemous temptations, for even spiritual-minded persons endure the same; and in the holiest position we may suffer the darkest temptation. The utmost consecration of spirit will not insure you against Satanic temptation. Christ was consecrated through and through. It was his meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him: and yet he was tempted! Your hearts may glow with a seraphic flame of love to Jesus, and yet the devil will try to bring you down to Laodicean lukewarmness. If you will tell me when God permits a Christian to lay aside his armour, I will tell you when Satan has left off temptation. Like the old knights in war time, we must sleep with helmet and breastplate buckled on, for the arch-deceiver will seize our first unguarded hour to make us his prey. The Lord keep us watchful in all seasons, and give us a final escape from the jaw of the lion and the paw of the bear.

Verse of the Day: He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. Proverbs 17:9

Jus Do It……even scared and ugly.

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