Sunday, June 08, 2008

Nice, relaxing morning with David home. Made french-toast and just about set off the fire alarm again! Couldn’t find syrup anywhere at the store, so settled for honey and it works well; strawberries that were ½ off and some heavy whipping cream freshly whipped made a very nice breakfast, along with drip coffee! Addie gave her approval with “mmm!” and “more”. The sun’s coming out – maybe the laundry on the line from Friday will finally get to dry! Addie and Daddy got some good wrestle-time in while I posted some pictures. He went on to work around 12 after putting A down for a nap. I’m hoping she wakes up in time for us to go on the Christian Heritage walking tour at 2:30 with Ian Cooper. I’d like to meet him and you always learn different details when you go with a different tour guide. I just got back from the tour and got Addie down. It was great going with Ian, fitting in more pieces of the puzzle of history. He wrote the historical displays in the Round Church, so had quite a lot to share with us on the tour. I’m really glad we made it – Addie woke up at 2:15, scarfed down a sandwich and gave hers on the way while I ran the whole way there, 8 minutes! Let me try to give some highlights: Clarkson, a student at St. John’s that got in because of the essay he wrote about if slavery should exist; if it was alright to own another human being. He didn’t know much of the subject, but wrote about it anyway and got in to the college on scholarship. It was written in Latin (scholastic lang. of the day), and people encouraged him to have it published in English. On the road to London (walked!) it struck him that if what he wrote was really true, then he should dedicate his life to abolishing slavery. He was 3 years before Wilberforce.

Picture of St. John's Chapel.

Picture of doors of St. John's Chapel.

Lady Margaret Beauford, who started St. John’s. She was so wealthy b/c of her marriage to 3 wealthy guys. She was in turn the Queen Mother, of Henry VI I believe. She lived the life of a nun, though; yet was very giving of her money, esp. towards the Univ. Her account is buried in the chapel, as a “thank you” from the college because he made sure her money went to the colleges!

Wilberforce – a small guy, student at St. John’s. Kind of a partier in his college days.

Later on, when he was in parliament, his mom, sister and cousin were going on the “Grand Tour” (France, Venice, Rome, etc.) and he was expected to go with them. He asked a distant friend to go along (to counteract all the females on the trip), who he later found out was a Christian. Long story short, Wilberforce became one as well. And his whole life was about abolishing slavery. He was also THE person to invite to a party, b/c of his whit and likeable nature. I just read a little book about Wilberforce by Ranald Macaulay; a great little read. And Piper wrote one on him as well, which I’ve just barely started – sidetracked by another on C.S. Lewis. On to Trinity College, started by Henry VIII. His last wife, the 6th, encouraged him to put his money into schools because that’s who would support him in politics, and certainly he could build a bigger and better college than all the rest! In his hand was a scepter or something, but students have replaced it with a chair-leg – bringing him down to size. The clock inside Trinity’s courtyard is the one where students every year, like Eric Little (Chariots of Fire), tried to run around the courtyard in 43 seconds. A student last year did! Inside the chapel (pictured below)...are statues of Isaac Newton (below)...Alfred Lord Tennyson (below)...and Sir Francis Bacon. (below) I think I’ve already talked about how Bacon influenced the view of science leading to God. Over to Sydney Sussex, a smaller college, where Oliver Cromwell attended. His head is buried somewhere on the grounds, and only the chaplain and the main tutor know where it is! Why his head? Crazy story. So he was buried but then some king decided to show everyone that Cromwell’s ideas of republic, etc. were dead. So they had him dug up and hung in London. But a strong wind blew up and decapitated him. The guard on duty took his head home to show his wife; it was passed around until 1960!!!! When it was finally buried somewhere on the premises. Back over to King’s Parade (Street); talked about how students are into climbing the buildings, esp. King’s Chapel - called “night climbers” I think. Another tradition: if they’re not too drunk they’ll jump from one building to another building, about 3 yards or so! Told us how Luther’s books were burned in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral as a sign to show people what will happen to them if they continue to read his works. And showed us the site of the White Horse Inn. Talked about how John Fisher (worked for Lady Beaufort) had Erasmus come to Cambridge. While here, he translated the New Testament from Greek into Latin. The only other version at the time was the Vulgate, which wasn’t a very true translation from the Greek. For instance, “repentance” in the Vulgate was translated “due penance”, perpetuating the Catholic idea of giving penance for sins rather than finding repentance in the work of Christ. (Of course Erasmus, though his works influenced the Reformation, disagreed with Luther on predestination.) Over to St. Bene’t Church, where the tower is Anglo-Saxon and the oldest bldg. in Cambridgeshire. The Eagle pub – where Watson & Crick “discovered” DNA. Also took us by the Cavendish Laboratory (pronounced LaBORatry). Showed us a building at the end of the street that’s crooked because it’s built on top of an old moat that went around the city! See the white house below...look at the door and windows above the door. Ian also took me to St. Andrew’s Church, where Latimer and others started up the Reformation; the 1st Reformation sermon was preached at this church. Hung around RC for a while,

David behind the cash register.

Picture of Addie laying on the floor of the Round Church, crazy girl!

Addie in the ambulatory of the church.

David closing down the church for the day.

Picture of River Cam - a beautiful day = busy day for punts!

The Pickerel Inn/Pub, where C.S. Lewis frequented. Picture of Castle St. going north, on our walk home.

...then walked home to try to get Addie down for a nap – there’s a free concert at Trinity College, with the choir singing on punts in the river, that I’d like to go to, but it’s at 8:45. (Oh, I have to say this about putting Addie down: I was holding her and telling her what we had done that day and what we were going to do: we ate lunch – and she signed “eat”; we went on a walk – she signed “walk”; we saw Dada – took paccy out and said “Dada?”; and after your nap we’ll eat dinner – signed “eat” again; and then we’ll go to a concert to hear some nice music – she started dancing! Too cute!) The nap was NOT successful, so settled for dinner and a trip to our local park. Met a couple there; he’s from the Delta and she’s from Brighton, with a 19 mo. old daughter Nancy. Exchanged numbers; willing to help us out with anything or take us places, have us to dinner or go for a picnic with the girls. Very nice! Home, and Kyle Wells came over after church. (We meant to go to church at 7, but David went and realized it started at 6; but met Kyle there, who studied at Covenant Seminary a year behind David, so D invited him over after church.) And I got to skype Mom and Dad! Left at 8:30 to go to the concert by Trinity’s choir - there was a big crowd there listening to them.

Picture of Trinity's dining hall.

Addie was so tired, poor thing. But had enough energy to run around Trinity's Court! See below... At the concert I did see one of the Finish girls, and got her number this time. Her husband is a Fellow at Trinity. She said last time the choir sang they were all drunk and didn’t sound good at all, but this time they had it together – crazy! Kyle called and wondered if we wanted to go out, but with Addie needing to go down we just had them (he and wife Pam) come over. Had a very nice talk with them on the patio ‘til probably 11 or so! They were up in Durham for a year and knew our friends Brad and Abi Mathews; Kyle is still getting his degree through Durham but is living and researching down here. Had a nice time with them.