Patience

My family history is rather mundane. For the most part they were farmers from their landing in the New World, migrating from Virginia or Pennsylvania into the Carolinas or Tennessee, then moving south and west. In three hundred years, they only made it to Oklahoma.

My husband’s lines were similar, but much more interesting. Of course, not much of the North’s courthouses were destroyed so records abound. Thus we have information on the trial of Sarah Veale, wife of Thomas, who was sentenced June 4, 1651.

There must have been some animosity pre-existing for Thomas Veale to complain to the court that his neighbor trespassed into the Veale home – uninvited, of course. I don’t have notes on the cross action George Wood files, but the court backed away from the arguing neighbors, acquitted and dismissed both parties.

According to Richard M. Bayles in his Historical and Descriptive Sketches of Suffolk County ..., in another case a woman so charged stated her cause, “saying that her husband had brought her to a place where there was neither Gospel nor magistracy."

Apparently in a wish to prove Sarah wrong on both counts, the Southhampton Magistrates tried and found her guilty “for exhorbitant words of imprecations” and sentenced her “to stand with her tongue in a cleft stick soelong as the offence committed by her was read and declared.”

Nowadays some are utilizing the magistracy to rid themselves of the gospel. Unlike Sarah (Wentworth) Veale, they wish not to hear the gospel, nor even hear of the gospel. Further, they do not wish to hear of God nor people’s faith in God. Sarah wasn’t a widow, but her story reminds me of one Jesus described:

Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: (Luke 18:2)

That’s not the type of judge I would wish to face. But, it is part of the story where Christ tells us always to pray, and not to faint:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (Luke 18:3-6)

So, we’ve covered five verses, and have not seen God at work. Which is a very good reason not to build our faith out of context. For there is more:

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (Luke 18:7)

I cannot imagine the feelings of abandonment that went through Sarah Veale’s mind as she stood with her tongue in a split stick. If it were I, hopefully I would recall a verse:

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)