Below is my message for Sunday, January 22nd.  As always, please feel free to forward or reply.  Your comments are most welcome.  It may also be used as a chaplain’s article for your camp or other newsletter.

Again, I want to thank those who forward my messages to others or post them on other sites.  For this I am very grateful.
Many thanks also to all those who sent cards, emails, or called to wish me well during my recent surgery and ongoing recovery.  I do appreciate you all very much.

May our Lord continue to bless each of you in His service and in service to our most worthy Cause.
 
Bro. Len Patterson, Th.D
Chaplain, Army of Trans-Mississippi
Member, Chaplain’s Corps Committee
Sons of Confederate Veterans

   
The Power of God!

Since the Lord saved me, about 40 years ago, I have always worn a small gold cross on my lapel, or in some circumstances on my shirt collar.  I do this because I’m proud to be a Christian.  I’m proud to be a servant of Jesus Christ, and I’m proud of the empty cross signifying my risen and living Lord.   The Apostle Paul writes, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is The Power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18) 

I can’t understand how anyone could have a personal relationship with  Jesus Christ and not want everyone to know it.  In writing to the Church in Rome, Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is The Power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Rom. 1: 16)  The Apostle Paul may have been called a lot of things, but no one ever called him a sissy.  He knew where he stood, and for almost two thousand years, so has everyone else.

I also wear my SCV pin.  I do this because I’m proud to be a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  I’m proud of my Southern heritage, and I’m especially proud of my brave Confederate forefathers, and the flag they fought under.  I’m also proud of my SCV Brothers who share my love and concern for our Southern Cause, and work to preserve our heritage and the honor of our Confederate veterans who so bravely fought the Union invaders. 

I can’t imagine a member of our Confederation not wanting to tell people about the SCV, or trying to recruit others to serve with us.  I can think of no reasonable excuse why so many Southerners have never even heard of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  People need to know who we are, what we do, and just exactly where we stand. 

I believe, to be successful in our mission, the Sons of Confederate Veterans need to follow the example of the Apostle Paul and the early Church, which ultimately captured the Roman world for Christ.  This means doing four things.  First, we need to unite as one band of Brothers in our common Cause.  The Bible tells us that the early church was, “all with one accord,” (Acts 1: 14 & 2: 1) and as a result, thousands were “saved.” (Acts 2: 41)

Second, every member should be a crusader and recruiter for our Confederation.  Again, the Bible tells us that the first members of the Lord’s Church talked to others about the Lord Jesus as they traveled.  (see Acts 11: 19, 20)  The next verse says their efforts produced “great numbers” of new church members.

Third, Like the Apostle Paul and the early church, we must seek the guidance, strength, and blessings of God in our efforts.  To do less means stagnation.  To do less means failure.  To do less means being neutralized.  To do less means not having the greatest asset for our success: The Power of God.

And forth, we must never be ashamed or timid about who we are, what we stand for, or fearful of what some others may think.  In the last letter of his life, the Apostle Paul writes, “Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to The Power of God.”  

May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bless every member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans as we seek to serve Him and our just and most worthy Cause. 

Amen.

Bro. Len Patterson, Th.D
Chaplain, Army of Trans-Mississippi
Sons of Confederate Veterans

Arizona’s Real Son, James Brown, son of Pvt. James Henry Harrison Brown, Oglethorpe’s Rifles, CSA, has been moved to a hospice. He is not expected to reach his 100th birthday on 14 February 2012.

Deo Vindice!

Curt Tipton Field Representative, Army of Trans-Mississippi Department, SCV Adjutant, Arizona Division SCV Adjutant, Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710 SCV Fort Huachuca, Arizona It is with extreme sadness that I inform you of the impending death of Real Son, Jim Brown. He was moved today from a hospital into a hospice here in Knoxville. Jim is approaching his 100th birthday on February 14th. Our SCV Camp #87 has scheduled a birthday celebration for Feb 19th with CIC Michael Givins, his Executive Council and the Governor of Tennessee along with numerous other SCV Camps. Even if he is still living, Jim will be unable to attend. The Longstreet-Zollicoffer Camp #87 is extremely fortunate to have two Real Sons on our membership roll, particularly considering there are reportedly fewer than thirty still living. As soon as I get more details, I will let you know. Deo Vindice Vaughn Hickman Newsletter Editor Longstreet-Zollicoffer Camp #87 Knoxville, TN

Click HERE to watch the 13 minute video of Arkansas Living Historians explain the hobby!

Arkansas Division Cmdr M. Ray Jones has been in a constant state of updating Division communications and has sent out an updated list of Camp Cmdrs and Division Officers which will be available for download from the “DOWNLAODS” page of the Division Website www.arkansasscv.org!!! Below are the links to the updates:

Division Camps and Contact Info

Division Officers and Contact Info

This year’s event will be held February 11, 2012 at the Clarion Inn & Suites and Conference Center, located at 1051 Highway 165, Monroe, LA 71203. It will be hosted by the Captain Thomas O. Benton Camp 1444.

Please note that this event will include relevant presentations and individual workshops for more specialized training for Commanders and Adjutants; however, ALL members areinvited to attend. The cost is only $14 each and will be handled through our General Headquarters at Elm Springs. You may mail a reservation with a check or call 1 (800) 380-1896 ext 209 (Cindy) or email accounting@scv.org with credit card information (MC, VISA or AMEX).

Lodging

Clarion Inn & Suites and Conference Center
1051 Highway 165, Monroe, LA, US, 71203
www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-monroe-louisiana-LA254
SCV Rate $69 plus tax (DBL)

Registration

Name__________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________

Email address___________________________________________

Camp number_________________ Check enclosed ( ) or

Credit Card (MC, VISA, or AMEX) Number__________________

Expires ______________

Parade Information:
Compatriots,

It is Mardi Gras time again in Ouachita Parish! February 11 is the date to mark on your calendars for the Monroe/West Monroe Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras parade. We are hoping for a big turnout this year as we had a down year last year due to conflicting dates with sesquicentennial events that were unavoidable. This year’s parade will coincide with the Army of Trans Mississippi’s leadership workshop being held at the Clarion Inn in Monroe, La. The workshop will be ending at 2:30 so bring your Confederate uniform and head for the parade gathering site as soon as it is over.

There are a few things that need to be said about our parade. While, overall, parade goers are Confederate friendly there will always be some narrow minded people who will say things to our folks that are out of line. The response to these individuals is to smile and wave, smile and wave. Do not give them fuel to use against us. We do not buy insurance for the parade and couldn’t afford to if we were required to buy. As a result of this NO THROWS of beads, candy, or anything else is allowed by our unit. No exceptions. Remember, this is a Confederate unit portraying Confederate people, please come in period dress or uniform. Kind of looks odd in a bunch of Confederate soldiers when some guy with a flag is wearing blue jeans and a checked shirt. Also the owners of the float are asking that there be no smoking on the float due to worries about their flags getting burned. One last thing. If you decide to have a little too much to drink and can’t control yourself or you cause an embarrassing situation that endangers our participants you will be ejected from our unit and you can find your way back the best you can.

We do hope that you will come and join the Monroe and West Monroe camps for a fun night of marching, shooting, and hearing the shouts of Rebels! Rebels! as we meander the 4 miles of parade route through the Twin Cities. Bring plenty of rounds for your musket as we traditionally fire 60 to 70 times over the course of the evening. If you don’t have a musket stick your favorite Confederate flag on an 8′ pole and join the flag corp. We will have transportation waiting at the end of the parade to get you back to your vehicles.

The parade will begin at our usual spot across from the West Monroe health unit. To get there from I-20, get off on the Stella-Mill street exit and go south until you reach the first red light, this is New Natchitoches Road. Take a left at this light and go for about 300 yards and there we will be. I feel sure you will recognize our unit. Please come fill our ranks with enthusiastic Confederate soldiers and ladies.

Any questions, please contact me at 318 376 2898 or tcrusader@juno.com.

Thomas E. Taylor
Northeast Brigade Commander
Louisiana Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans

Compatriots,

The 2012 Farmerville Mardi Gras Parade will be held Saturday, February 18. Line-up will be at 6:00 PM at Farmerville High School with start time at 7:00. The Lt. Elijah H. Ward camp would like to invite all SCV, UDC, C of C, OCR, and re-enacting units to participate in this event. As with all parades in Union Parish, we WILL fire our muskets! Throws are encouraged. The Ward camp will provide a trailer. Please put our event on your calendar and we’ll see you there! Deo Vindice!

The Scripture tells us in Ephesians 6: 2 & 3, “Honour thy father and mother;(which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” And, this is what we do. We, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Order of the Confederate Rose, the Military Order of the Stars and Bars, and others. We remember! This morning my wife and I returned home from Tyler, Texas where last evening we attended a Lee/Jackson banquet in remembrance of those two great military leaders and fine Southern gentlemen. It was an impressive event in which I learned much. Our Texas Division Commander, Ray James, gave an informative and interesting presentation on snipers in the Confederate Army. We were also treated to very inspiring and challenging addresses by H.K. Edgerton and his brother. Of course we took a number of photos to help us remember the occasion. Photographs do help us remember, and most of us enjoy looking at photographs, especially old photographs. We realize the people we are seeing in these old pictures were real, just as we are. They were alive and active. They were doing something before the camera snapped, and they continued doing something afterward, but we have one instant in their lives that is forever frozen in time. That’s what makes this, and all old photographs, so interesting. There were a lot of photographs taken during the War for Southern Independence. Many of them were done after a battle, and since they were taken by photographers with the Yankee invaders, they often show the bodies of Confederate soldiers. We’ve all seen them, and these photographs of our Confederate dead should give us a very clear perspective of the work and mission of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. They should help us to remember. There is one photograph of a young Confederate lying dead in a muddy ditch. He had a mother, a father, brothers, sisters, and other family members that loved him. They cared about him and worried about his welfare. Now he was dead and they didn’t know it. They may never know what happened to him. They may only know he, like so many other brave Confederate soldiers, just didn’t come home. It is their honor that is at stake. It is their memory that is at risk. It is the respect they are rightfully due, that is being viciously attacked. It is the Cause for which they fought and died that is being maliciously twisted to suit the agenda of the Unionists. It is their homes, country, and heritage, as well as ours, that is being subjected to ridicule by the willfully ignorant. It is their flag that is being made a symbol of shame and bigotry, by bigots who have no shame. And who is going to speak for them? Who is going to be their voice? Who is going to defend their honor? Who is going to stand up and say, “I am the proud descendant of a brave Confederate soldier. The South was right and their Cause was just.” Who? We are! It is our duty. It is our mission. Because, we are the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and that’s what we do. We remember! May God bless each of you in His service, and in service to our just and most worthy Cause. Brother Len Patterson, Th.D Chaplain, Army of Trans-Mississippi

If you would like to donate to the Franklin monument for the Arkansas troops, go to www.arkansastoothpick.com and you can’t miss it.  Tell everyone in your camps to spare a dollar or two!

Thanks Everett for taking the lead on this!