The Hanscom Family Weblog

Octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Andrew, deacon [BLS]
Hippolytus, Doctor of the Church [BLS]
John Kemble, martyr [BLS]
Mary, “Regina” [MR]
Maurus and companions, martyrs [GTZ: Reims]
Philibert, abbot (of Jumieges and Nermoutier) [BLS]
Richard Kirkman, martyr [BLS]
Symphorianus, martyr [BLS; GTZ; PCP (Paris)]
Timothy, martyr [common]
Veredemus, confessor [GTZ: Uzès]
William Lacy, martyr [BLS]

Feast Day:

St. Symphorian, martyr, about 178.
St. Hippolytus, bishop and martyr, 3rd century.
St. Timothy, martyr, 311.
St. Philibert, abbot of Jumièges, 684.
St. Andrew, deacon and confessor, about 880.

August 22

On this day in 1980, a group of Episcopal women established the Women’s History Project of the Episcopal Church at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City..

August 22

On this day in 1800, Edward B. Pusey, author of Tracts for the Times and a leader of the Oxford Movement to renew the Anglican Church, was born. He wrote several works promoting a union between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

Queenship of Mary

Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But Mary’s queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.

In the fourth century St. Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen” and Church Fathers and Doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.

The feast is a logical follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast. In his encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory power.

WILLIAM WHISTON

We are afraid that, except as an affix to a translation of Josephus—a stock-book in every ordinary library—the name of William Whiston suggests very little to modern memories. Yet at the beginning of the eighteenth century he—a restless, indiscreet, and loquacious man of learning—was in everybody’s mouth, and by his heresies contrived to keep the Church of England for years in a fidget.

He was the son of a clergyman, and was born at Norton, near Twycross, in Leicestershire, in 1667. At Cambridge, he greatly distinguished himself by his mathematical attainments, and won the friendship of Newton, whose Principia he studied and appreciated. In 1696, he published his first work, the forerunner of a multitude, entitled A New Theory of the Earth from its Original to the Consummation of all Things, wherein the Creation of the World in Six Days, the Universal Deluge, and the General Conflagration as laid down in the Holy Scriptures are shewn to be perfectly agreeable to Reason and Philosophy; it ran through six editions. The flood he accounted for by a comet, but the wits objected, that while he had covered the earth with water, he had provided no means for drawing it off. Newton, in 1701, made him his deputy in the duties of the Lucasian chair, and in 1703, resigned the chair itself, and procured the election of Whiston as his successor.

Gradually he began to broach and promulgate Arian doctrine on the subject of the Trinity, and the result was, that in 1710, he was banished from the university, and the year after his professorship was declared vacant. These penalties only added fuel to his zeal; so that he provoked Convocation to censure his writings, and for five years to keep his case dangling before the public. Meanwhile Whiston sought his living by teaching mathematics in London, and Steele and Addison found him an audience at Button’s coffee-house for a series of astronomical lectures. He tried to establish a sect, and held a meeting for worship in his house in Cross Street, Hatton Garden, but he could never get beyond a dozen or score of disciples. Apparently without any power of considerate reticence, he published his fancies as quickly as they were formed. He turned Baptist; he asserted the Jews would be restored to Palestine and the millennium begin in 1766, and that an earthquake in London would swallow up 7000 men, and the remainder would be converted. He had a method for finding the longitude, by means of signal-vessels moored at various points in the ocean, which he held was everywhere fathomable. In fact, his brain teemed with odd notions, theological, literary, and scientific.

There was no lack of friends who respected his honesty and learning, but his habit of blunt, free speech and immovable self-will, rendered it very difficult to assist him effectually. His Arianism was shared by many ecclesiastics, who regretted his retreat from the church as wholly unnecessary. Whiston, one day talking with Chief-Justice King, entered into a discussion about signing articles which were not believed, for the sake of preferment. King freely sanctioned the latitudinarian practice, saying: ‘We must not lose our usefulness for scruples.’ Whiston expressed his sorrow to hear his lordship say so, and proceeded to inquire, whether he permitted similar prevarication in the law-courts. The chief justice said, ‘No,’ whereon Whiston rejoined: ‘Suppose God Almighty should be as just in the next world as my lord chief-justice is in this, where are we then?’ King was silent. When Queen Caroline heard the story, she said: ‘No answer was to be made to it.’

With Caroline, wife of George II, Whiston was somewhat of a favourite. She allowed him £50 a year, and usually sent for him every summer when she was out of town, to spend a day or two with her. At Richmond, on one occasion, she asked him what people thought of her. He told her that she was esteemed as a lady of great abilities, a patron of learned men, and a kind friend of the poor. ‘But,’ said she, ‘no one is without faults, what are mine?’ Whiston begged to be excused, but she insisting, he informed her majesty that she did not behave with proper reverence in church. She pleaded in excuse that the king would talk to her. He asked her to remember, that during worship, she was in the presence of One greater than kings. Confessing her fault, she went on: ‘Pray tell me what is my next?’ With fine tact Whiston evaded the dangerous topic with the promise: ‘When your majesty has amended the fault of which we have spoken, we shall then proceed to the next.’

Another good story is told of his frank speech. A party, in which Addison, Pope, Walpole, and Secretary Craggs were included, was debating whether a secretary of state could be an honest man, and Whiston was appealed to for his opinion, which may be imagined. Craggs said: ‘It might do for a fortnight, but not longer.’ With much simplicity Whiston inquired: ‘Mr. Secretary, did you ever try it for a fortnight?’

Whiston lived till he was eighty-five, dying in London in 1752. His long life was one of great literary activity, but his multitudinous publications, amongst which was an autobiography abounding in injudicious revelations, have long been neglected. Vain yet sincere, sceptical yet credulous, insensible alike to fear and favour, where he thought the interests of truth concerned; many laughed at Whiston’s eccentricities, but those who knew him most intimately, were those who held him in highest honour for substantial virtue and uprightness.

Be an Angel Day

When : Always August 22

Be an Angel Day encourages us to do acts of kindness, and to help others.

This special day has strong religious roots. Jayne Howard Feldman, the creator of this day, says she was inspired by angels to create this day on August 22.

The objective of this day is to be like an angel, and do something good or kind for someone. It encourages us to be God’s servant in doing good things for others. It is intended to do something nice or kind for someone who is in need of help. The type of angelic help you can offer is not defined or limited. It can be physical, emotional, or spiritual.

Be an Angel Day is for both the giver and the receiver. If you are the receiver, make certain to express openly your appreciation. And, recognize the angel in your life as being sent from God.

The Origin of Be an Angel Day:

Be An Angel Day was first celebrated on August 22, 1993, making it a fairly new holiday.