2 Samuel 13:26,27Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us."And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?" But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. NKJV
The Drowning of Two Twins & The PO 8 'Black Bart'
I had been in Des Moine Iowa for the weekend performing some of my poetry. It had been my first time in the Mid West and in a place that is reported to have more pigs than people, I was pleased to find them all as pleasant as I expected them to be. Historically, Des Moines was a prominent staging post for the Old Wells Fargo overland mail service and it was good to see this company was still prominent in the area, providing jobs to many people and giving its name to the 2005, 17,000 seat, Wells Fargo Arena. Yes, the city of Des Moine wore its old lady face-lift very well indeed.
Henry Wells and William Fargo spawned a number of companies, including ‘American Express', however, it was the Wells Fargo overland mail company, owning the largest stagecoach empire in the world, that has fixed itself firm in all the legends and stories of the old Wild West. Another spin off from The Wells Fargo company, the Pony Express, together with the famous six-horse 'Concord' coach charging across the open plains of the old Mid West, was in my youth, the stuff of every 'Cowboy and Indian' style robbery re-enacted on many a hot summer afternoon.
The Concord Stage Coach’s treasure box was made of Ponderosa pine, oak and iron, and was usually kept underneath the drivers seat and body-guarded by very unsavoury characters armed with sawn-off shotguns. I say usually kept underneath the driver’s seat, because should the coach not be carrying passengers, then the treasure box was bolted to the inside floor of the Coach. Now this last fact is important as I introduce to you Mr. Charles Boles, or as he was commonly known then, the famous and daring Stage Coach Robber-Poet, ‘Black Bart.’
Farmer, gold prospector, wounded Civil War soldier, Black Bart had tasted a life of adventure and would not go back to the simple farming life he had previously embraced. This man had more than an itch for adventure though, he had a grudge to go with it. Yes sir, we know from his letters to his wife, that he had reported some kind of ‘unpleasantness’ that had happened to him at the hands of Wells Fargo employees and he had vowed to get them back. A colourful little poem which he left at one of his always polite and courteous little robberies, reads as follows:-"I've labored long and hard for bread,
For honor and for riches,
But on my corns too long you've tred
You fine-haired sons of bitches."
Charles Boles, or Black Bart, would sign his 'post robbery pieces,' PO 8. Although he was reputed for his style, sophistication and eschewing of foul language, this little poem does reflect, shall we say, not a little evidence of the terrible twins of resentment and revenge and I tell you now, that when these two twins get drunk at their many reunions, trouble is a-brewing.
Coming full circle, Black Bart’s last stage robbery took place at Funk Hill, the same place of his fist robbery! However, this time, the situation was completely different. Robbing the treasure box from a Stage Coach with no passengers, meant that the treasure box was secured inside and the loosening of the bolts took some time. He eventually made his escape, only to be wounded in the process by the hard man who had been riding shotgun. Fleeing, Black Bart dropped several items including a laundry marked handkerchief, which eventually led to him being traced, found and arrested. After serving four years in San Quentin, Black Bart, emerged older and wiser, Wikipedia writes that, ‘Reporters swarmed around him when he was released. They asked if he was going to rob any more stagecoaches. “No gentlemen,” he smilingly replied, “I'm through with crime.” Another reporter asked if he would write more poetry. He laughed, “Now didn't you hear me say that I am through with crime?” and promptly disappeared from the scene.’ He was never heard of again.
I do not believe in either abortion nor infanticide, but resentment and revenge are two terrible twins that need drowning at birth! Drown them in the waters of confession, drown them in the waters of repentance, drown them in the waters of blessing those who hurt you and despitefully use you. If you don’t, then as twins do, no matter what the distance in mileage, no matter what the difficulty in terrain, no matter how long the time, they will one day get together for a reunion and I tell you, when that happens, when revenge and resentment lift their drunken glasses high, then God help the person they are toasting!
In our text for this evening, Absalom and the twins are arranging a death party for all the sons of David and he especially wants Amnon to come and join the fun, for Amnon the slither, Amnon the cur, Amon the terrible, two years ago, raped Absalolom’s sister Tamar. Since then, Absalom has said nothing, held his peace, bided his time. Now the drunken twins will have their way, and what a bad, red, way, it shall so surely be.
So, if you have resentment and revenge in your heart tonight, get up out of bed right now, go to the bathroom, run the water in the tub and then get down on your knees and take resentment in one hand and revenge in the other. Do not be distracted by their kicking, neither be deterred by their self-justifying screaming, their angry shouting and all their fussing, just hold them under these running waters until they kick no more. If you do not do this, then it's death or prison friend, it's death or prison.
Listen: - Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21 NKJV
Pray: Lord, take me to the waters and strengthen my hands for this drowning work, in Jesus name I pray, amen!
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