Growing up we had a book called "The Best Loved Poems of The American People" it resided on a bookshelf in our living room for as long as I can remember; as a child I often read the poems and there were several that I read more than once.

Two of my favorites were "No Sects In Heaven" and "I Had But Fifty Cents" to this day, I still like to go back and re-read those and several other poems from that book.

So here is an old classic, and one of my favorite poems.

NO SECTS IN HEAVEN
By Elizabeth H. Joceland Cleaveland


 


Talking  of sects quite late one eve,

What one and another of saints believe,

That night I stood in a troubled dream

By the side of a darkly flowing stream.

 

And a "churchman" down to the river came,

When I heard a strange voice call his name,

"Good Father, stop; when you cross this tide

You must leave your robes on the other side."

 

But the aged father did not mind,

And his long gown floated out behind

As down to the stream his way he took,

His hands firm hold of a gilt-edged book.

 

"I'm bound for heaven, and when I'm there

I shall want my book of common prayer;

And though I put on a starry crown,

I should feel quite lost without my gown"

 

Then he fixed his eye on the shiny track,

But his gown was heavy and held him back,

And the poor old father tried in vain,

A single step in the flood to gain.

 

I saw him again on the other side,

But his silk gown floated on the tide,

And no one asked in that blissful spot

If he belonged to "the church" or not.

 

Then down to the river a Quaker strayed;

His dress of a sober hue was made;

"My hat and coat must be all of gray,

I cannot go any other way."

 

Then he buttoned his coat straight up to his chin,

And staidly, solemnly, waded in,

And his broad-brimmed hat he pulled down tight

Over his forehead, so cold and white.

 

But a strong wind carried away his hat,

And he sighed a few moments over that;

And then, as he gazed to the farther shore,

The coat slipped off and was seen no more.

 

Poor, dying Quaker, thy suit of gray

Is quietly sailing..away..away;

But thou'lt go to heaven, as straight as an arrow,

Whether thy brim be broad or narrow.

 

Next came Dr. Watts with a bundle of psalms

Tied nicely up in his aged arms,

And hymns as many, a very wise thing,

That the people in heaven, "all round," might sing

 

But I thought that he heaved an anxious sigh

As he saw that the river ran broad and high,

And looked rather surprised, as one by one;

The psalms and hymns in the wave went down.

 

And after him with his MSS,

Came Wesley, the pattern of godliness.

But he cried, "Dear me, what shall I do?

The water has soaked them through and through."

 

And there, on the river, far and wide,

Away they went on the swollen tide;

And the saint, astonished, passed through alone,

Without his manuscripts, up to the throne.

 

Then gravely walking, two saints by name,

Down to the stream together came;

But, as they stopped at the river's brink,

I saw one saint from the other shrink.

 

"Sprinkled or plunged.may I ask you friend,

How you attained to life's great end?"

"Thus, with a few drops on my brow";

"But I have been dipped, as you'll see me now.

 

"And I really think it will hardly do,

As I'm 'close communion,' to walk with you:

You're bound, I know to the realms of bliss,

But you must go that way, and I'll go this."

 

And straightaway plunging with all his might,

Away to the left, his friend to the right,

Apart they went from this world of sin;

But how did the brethren "enter in"?

 

And now where the river was rolling on,

A Presbyterian Church went down;

Of women, there seemed an innumerable throng,

But the men I could count as they as they passed along.

 

And concerning the road they could never agree,

The old or the new way, which it could be,

Nor ever a moment pause to think

That both would lead to the river's brink.

 

And a sound of murmuring long and loud

Came ever up from the moving crowd..

"You're in the old way and I'm in the new,

That is false and this is true";

 

Or, "I'm in the old way, and you're in the new,

That is the false, and this is the true." 

But the brethren only seemed to speak;

Modest the sisters walked, and meek;

 

And if ever one of them chanced to say

What troubles she met with on the way,

How she longed to pass to the other side,

Nor feared to cross over the swelling tide,

 

A voice arose from the brethren then,.

"Let no one speak but the 'holy men,'

For have ye not heard the words of Paul?

'Oh let the women keep silence all.'"

 

I watched them long in my curious dream,

Till they stood by the border of the stream;

Then, just as I thought, the two ways met,

But all the brethren were talking yet,

 

And would talk on, till the heaving tide

Carried them over side by side;

Side by side, for the way was one,

The toilsome journey of life was done,

 

And priest and Quaker, and all who died

Came out alike on the other side;

No forms or crosses or books had they,

No gowns of silk or suits of gray,

No creeds to guide them, or MSS.,

For all had put on "Christ's righteousness."

BatesCountyRealEstate.com and Turn-Key Properties LLC are representing a client who is looking to rent up to 300 acres from April 18th through April 23rd 2011.

The property will need to be within a one hour drive of Kansas City and offer varying terrain. The event is a physical competition, a foot race with thousands of contestants entering for prizes and fun.

The organization is willing to pay as much as $15,000 for the use of your property for that period of time.

They assure me that they will handle all set up, clean up, water, power and logistics. They say they will return the property to the condition they found it in.

They will provide liability insurance and you will make $15,000 and have access to witnessing this amazing event.

Contestants come from all over the world to enter this competition and it is sure to be a memorable event.

They will require parking for hundreds of vehicles and the track should consist of varying terrain; the course will need to be at least 10 feet wide and cover 3 or more miles without crossing itself.

Contact Ben if you are interested.

The 2010 Annual Bates County BBQ State Championship and Fall Festival will be held October 29-30, 2010 at the Bates County Fairgrounds.

Sponsored by the Butler Police Association, and Country Mart, this annual event brings contestants and spectators. Proceeds to the Butler Police Association go to help the community with scholarships, children's athletics, drug sniffing dogs and other great things for the Butler community.

The 2009 Annual Bates County BBQ State Championship & Fall Festival paid over $8,300 for the BBQ Competition, this year they will be paying out at lease $8,300 to contestants.

Click here for an application to compete.

TOTAL PAYOUT OVER $8,000.00 !

BBQ Cook-off Scheduled Payouts

Grand Champion $1500
Reserve Grand Champion $750

To see the rest of the payouts for 2010 click here.

For Questions Call 660-679-6131   or   e-mail butlerpolice43@yahoo.com

Queen and Princess Rules 2010
For an entry form click here.

1.        Candidate must be a resident of Bates County

2.        Candidate must be single, never married

3.        Candidate for Queen must be 16-21 years of age

4.        Candidate for Princess must be 10-15 years of age

5.        Candidate must register at the Butler Police Department.  If Candidate is under the age 17 they must have parent or legal guardian present.

6.        Both Queen and Princess Candidates will be judged by total raffle tickets, armbands and Motocross tickets sold.

7.        Candidates are expected to make as many personal appearances during festival time to sell tickets, promote themselves and the festival.

8.        All Raffle Tickets sales must be turned in October 30th by 12:00 (Noon).

9.        All Candidates shall receive 15% of their own sales from raffle tickets and event tickets.

10.        Crowning Ceremony will be October 30th at 4:00pm Center stage.  Monetary payouts will be awarded at the crowning of the candidates.

If you have any questions please call 660-424-4151 or 660-227-9578.

Queen candidates must sell at least $750.00 in tickets to be eligible for the $500.00 scholarship.

The Great Midwest is one of the greatest producers of foodstuffs for the entire world. The familiar red or green tractors slowly roaming vast fields are a welcome site in the Midwest, harvest time is a traditional time of joy and festivals.

Along with corn, beans, wheat & milo, Missouri and Kansas are also great sources for beef, pork, poultry, grains, and vegetables.

The Midwest also offers wonderful hunting opportunities for all sorts of game. Probably the two most sought after species for Midwest hunters are deer and turkey.

The turkey and deer seasons start this year in Missouri with bow season on the 15th of September. Archers will be headed to their stands early on Wednesday morning hoping to catch a view of something tasty to take home for dinner.

For more information please visit the Missouri Conservation website.
http://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping

Kansas Deer Season dates for 2010:
Youth and Disability Season Sept. 11- 19, 2010

Early Muzzleloader Season: Sept. 20 - Oct. 3, 2010

Archery Season: Sept. 20 - Dec. 31, 2010

Firearms Season: Dec. 1 - 12, 2010

Early Firearms Season: (DMU 19 ONLY) Oct. 9 - 17, 2010

Extended Whitetail Antlerless Season (STATEWIDE) : Jan. 1 - 9, 2011

Special Extended Whitetail Antlerless Season (Units 7,8, and 15 ONLY) : Jan. 10 - 16, 2011

Extended Archery Season (DMU 19 ONLY): Jan. 10 - 31, 2011

Kansas FALL TURKEY Season Dates for 2010:

• Archery/Shotgun : Oct. 1 - Nov.30, Dec. 13 - Dec. 31, 2010 and Jan. 10 - Jan. 31, 2011
• Fall Turkey Permits in Units 1, 2, and 3 and game tags for Unit 2 may be purchased over the counter at any license vendor from July 19 through Jan. 30, 2011.
• No permits authorized in Unit 4.
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
• Legal Equipment: Shotguns 20 gauge or larger using shot sizes 2-9; long, recurve or compound bows.
• Limit: Each hunter may obtain no more than one turkey permit and three turkey game tags. Residents and nonresidents who purchase a turkey permit may also purchase as many as three turkey game tags valid in Unit 2 only. Fall turkey permits and game tags are valid for both male and female turkeys.

For a complete list of rules and regulations for hunting in KS click here.
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/When-to-Hunt/Sportsmen%27s-Calendar

We are very excited about our newest listing; it is one of the houses that just walking through it makes you go "Oh, Wow"!

A majestic home in Cass County with nearly 4,000 square feet of luxurious living space.

Lovely home perched atop a picturesque hilltop. With the look of a modern American Castle rising from the countryside. Rolling acreage with horse facilities and surrounded by natural beauty! Huge rooms with modern features and wonderful views. 6" plank flooring, seashell counter tops, stainless steel appliances and every luxury you could want.… horse facilities, high ceilings, huge rooms, great views, privacy, barn, huge deck, quiet, fireplaces... what's not to love!

Hard packed stone roads roll up to the long driveway that leads to this lovely home. Gleaming white exterior shines in the sun, from a distance the towering rotunda stands out as an architectural landmark! Behind the home is a barn, large enough for equipment and livestock.


Home features: 2 Car Garage, Air Conditioning, Alarm, Cable/Satellite TV, Carpeted Floors, Ceiling Fans, Ceramic Tile Flooring, Deck, Dishwasher, Drywall, Electric Oven / Stove, Fireplace, Full Basement, Hardwood Floors, Heat - Forced Warm Air gas, Heat - Heatpump, Main Level Bedroom, Master Bedroom with Bath, Microwave, Patio, Refrigerator, Separate Dining room, Side Entrance Garage, Tile Floors, Vinyl Siding, Washer/Dryer
  You can see more information here:
American Dream Home for Sale

Our sincere condolences for the Cole family of Amoret, MO. there home was destroyed in a terrible blast and fire that took the life of Marlene Cole.

Funeral services for Marlene Cole of Amoret, Missouri will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri with Pastor Ron Dunlap officiating. Visitation 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 24 at the Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial, Benjamin Cemetery, Amoret, Missouri. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Amoret Christian Church or the Amoret Community Center. Alvina Marlene Cole, age 70 of rural Amoret, Missouri died in a tragic home fire on Saturday, August 21, 2010. She was born May 9, 1940 at Amoret the daughter of Walter Kelly Ewbank and Thelma Elizabeth Mitts Ewbank.

On April 2, 1963 she was united in marriage to William H. Cole and to this union two children were born. Marlene worked for Jim Rush at the Bank of Amoret and later the BC National Banks in Butler, MO as well as the Butler Monument Company. Her last employment was with Social Services in Nevada, Missouri retiring in 2002.

Marlene is survived by her husband William H. Cole of Amoret; son Don Cole and wife Debbie of Butler; daughter Karen Cole of Marshalltown, Iowa and four grandchildren; Ellis, Hilari, Bethanie and Gabrielle Cole. Also surviving is one sister Helen Millard of Amoret. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Morris Dean Ewbank and sister Wilma Hanson.

MARLENE COLE Marlene Cole, 70, rural Amoret, MO, died Sat Aug 21, 2010 as the result of a fire in their home. Services 10 am, Wed Aug 25 Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) Butler, MO. Visitation 6-8 pm Tues chapel. In lieu of flowers contributions to Amoret Community Center or Amoret Christian Church. Published in Kansas City Star on August 24, 2010
Read more: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=marlene-cole&pid=144888662#ixzz0y6hjaDl2

Larry Hacker Auctioneers is having an auction at the Wheatley's just outside of Rich Hill, MO on August 28 at 10:30 AM.

Mr Wheatley is offering a SUPER SHARP 1953 Ford Jubilee, 3 pt implements, guns, and a COMPLETE woodworking shop including power tools, hand tools, and accessories!

The guns include an Iver Johnson 12 gauge and a Remington Arms 12 gauge double barrel that are in EXCELLENT condition!

Plan NOW to attend this one-of-a-kind auction on AUGUST 28th. 


Contact Col. Larry Hacker @ 417/876-7900 for additional information or details!

Also visit their website at:  www.LarryHackerAuctioneers.com

Living History Farm Grand Opening Aug. 14-15 Poplar Heights Farm announces its Grand Opening Celebration will be August 14-15. The Bates County, Missouri farm has been undergoing restoration to its 1880's roots and will celebrate the completion of the original buildings with a weekend full of activities. The farm was purchased in 1884 by Adam Seelinger and has remained in the family until being placed in a charitable foundation to maintain it as a Living History museum and Nature Conservancy.

The Osage Spinners and Weavers Guild will give demonstrations of heritage crafts including felting, material dying, looms, weaving, and spinning. The Seelinger Broom Shop will open its doors with broom maker Bill Soetaert showing old style broom making. Nearly 10,000 square feet of heirloom vegetables have been planted and visitors will be encouraged to sample vegetables and fruits from the turn of the century such as Aunt Ruby's tomatoes, Lemon cucumbers, summer and winter squash. Food booths will offer everything from deep fried pork rinds to Quark. There will be sheep herding demonstrations, a master stone cutter, blacksmiths, quilters and more. The Missouri Basketweavers guild will be weaving baskets and chair seats.

The Main House has been completely restored and will be open for tours. Built about 1870 by John Walker, a federal prosecutor for President Grover Cleveland, the Victorian home will showcase Seelinger family heirlooms and period furnishings. Also available for touring will be the 1870's threshing barn and Summer Kitchen/Root Cellar and the 1895 Broom Corn Barn. The 1949 Artist's Cottage has been completed as a Learning Center and will feature an exhibit on One Room School Houses in Bates County.

A special Children's section will feature a Hay Jump, games, Nadine the cow, corn shelling and other activities. Visitors can meet the Percheron and Belgium horses, the pigs, chickens and goats. Horse drawn wagons will give rides around the farm fields. An authentic Chuck wagon will set up camp, cooking grub for cattle hands who would have traveled the nearby Texas Trail. Antique to modern John Deere farm equipment, the only brand used at the Farm, will be on exhibit. Musical entertainment will be the South Fork String Band.

Poplar Heights Farm will be open Free to the public for this Grand Opening Celebration. There will be plenty of free parking and most of the facilities are handicapped accessible. The Celebration will be from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, August 14 and Sunday August 15. The Farm is located 8 miles northeast of Butler. From Butler go east on Highway H to Highway UU and follow the signs. For more information call 660-679-0764 or visit the website: www.poplarheightsfarm.org.

From  KC Star Press Release

We are always seeking another good place to eat close to home, this Saturday Milton and Sue took us over to Hume, MO to check out the restaurant they had discovered there. Hume is about the same distance from the farm as Rich Hill and we were ready for something new.

It was darn hot, I was glad to get inside the cool building and out of the hot sun. The first thing I noticed was how nice the place was, they have really fixed the old building up; the place was clean and nicely decorated.

We ran into some folks who had been married. I had left my camera at home so I used my phone for pictures.

I walked around admiring the historical pictures from Hume's past; coal shovels, coal trains and coal trucks mostly; when I noticed a picture of Jesus and a picture of The Duke, I knew I was gonna like this place.

The iced tea was just what I needed after being out in the stifling heat Saturday.

The food was great, the service was excellent and the prices were quite fair. I ate light so I would have room for the Blackberry cobbler and ice cream. It was a hard decision because we were going to Rich Hill later and I was looking forward to a peanut butter shake from Swope's Drive In.

When we finished dinner, we headed on over the Bates County Produce at Rich Hill. They have the best darn soap you have ever used. Since we've had some of the grand-kids at our place all summer, we have been using up a lot of my favorite cinnamon soap.

While we were there we couldn't resist picking up some fresh melons, plums and some of that wonderful Amish produce.