Markham Shaw Pyle

A look at how properly to observe Independence Day.

Because hubris—particularly in the achievements of others, and not of oneself—is no true patriotism, a few quiet, Anglican words from the ’28 BCP on the proper observance of US Independence Day, brought to you by a thorough conservative.

Repent ye…

I am grieved, disgusted, and enraged by the murder of two—of two more—young Israelis, as I am by all the evils going unchecked in this day: the assailing of Israel and of the Jewish people not least, whom the Almighty shall doubtless vindicate and avenge in accordance with His ancient promises and which wickedness weContinue reading “Repent ye…”

Magnificat

Today being a red-letter feast day, that of the Annunciation, I pop by to check up on y’all before resuming my Lenten silence. And, as I’m here, let me remind you that, although we are to pray daily for our various heads of government, that does not mean we pray that their policies, aims, ambitions,Continue reading “Magnificat”

Another day, another Ambush By Handel.

Quiet, ordinary Saturday, week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany … and what are the Lessons appointed for Mattins on this unremarkable day of the Kalendar? Oh, only the following from Messiah HWV 56: I.5-6 (‘Thus saith the Lord’ with its ‘The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple’, and thenContinue reading “Another day, another Ambush By Handel.”

‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:

Every day has its saint—commonly a right smart of them: including this, the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The Anglican Kalendar is more parsimonious than is the Roman, or the Orthodox, so far as red-letter observances go; but every day has its saint. Between—for example—, and inclusive of, 15 to 23 January, there are amongstContinue reading “‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:”

The heresy of entryism

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered : let them also that hate him flee before him. —Ps. lxviii, Exsurgat Deus. Today is the Feast of S Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop & Confessor. A patron saint of lawyers, writers, and controversialists, Hilary stands for—and ought to be emulated in standing for—the principles thatContinue reading “The heresy of entryism”

Morons, murders, and manifestos

I believe in the presumption of innocence: and that we ought all to give it. Right now, the Mangione kid has that presumption (he may or not be a murderer; he is quite evidently an utter shit). All the same, a few things… Whoever is found guilty of the murder of Brian Thompson can citeContinue reading “Morons, murders, and manifestos”

Initial thoughts on an election.

Right. Well, here we are. I shall doubtless have much to say in the coming weeks—if I am spared, which is never certain. (I have, if I can afford it, a stress test later this month. The Constitution has four years of it come 20 JAN.) For now, I suggest soul-searching to the Criers ofContinue reading “Initial thoughts on an election.”

For S Luke’s Day

This the Feast of Luke: Evangelist, artist, and physician. The world is clearly ill and in want of care and healing. We are all unwell and stumbling on a precipice, we are all cast down; we are all in need of good news, of medicine, and of the news and the hope of our cure.Continue reading “For S Luke’s Day”

I have been remiss in not mentioning this here.

Come for the fireworks. Stay for the eviscerations. Follow the analysis. And join in the anathemata. My latest—which is to be an appendix to the forthcoming The Conscientious Conservative—, which disposes of the claims of Trump, Trumpism, and the followers of either, the Trumpshirts, to be either conservative, in the Anglo-American sense of that term,Continue reading “I have been remiss in not mentioning this here.”