Sermon Illustrations

STAY IN THE REFUGE FOR PROTECTION

As long as the accused remained within the refuge, they were safe and protected.

[CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL]

Castillo De San Marcos- Spanish fort, made of stone, protected town, during battle, all towns people ran to the fort, the town was burned/destroyed, all protected inside fort...the year seventeen-oh-two was the first real test of the Castillo’s strength. The War of Spanish Succession had begun in Europe. Britain, Austria and their allies were fighting Spain and France to prevent a French prince from becoming the King of Spain.

The governor of the British colony of Carolina was James Moore. He hoped to capture the fort to prevent a possible attack by Spanish or French forces on his British colony further up the coast. Governor Moore commanded five hundred British troops and three-hundred Indians in his invading army.

The Spanish army only had two hundred thirty soldiers and one hundred eighty Indian allies at Castillo de San Marcos. Moore’s army arrived with eight small ships, and blocked the harbor of Saint Augustine. The people of the town fled into the Castillo.

Governor Moore could make no progress in his attack. The huge new fort was too strong. Then, several Spanish war ships arrived to help the Spanish soldiers. Moore burned his small ships and retreated to the north. He burned the town of Saint Augustine before he left. But the Spanish soldiers and the people of the town had survived in the fort. The battle had lasted for fifty days.

[SCBA MASK, FIREFIGHTER DEATH WITHOUT]

SCBA- Breathing apparatus, lifeline in a fire, without it death...Rhode Island fire...fumes (hydrogen cyanide) in small fire smoke...The local headlines were concentrated on the outcome of the operation when it was discovered that the burning plastic was emitting high amounts of hydrogen cyanide in the smoke, causing a lot of the residents some dizziness and distress. Eventually there were at least 40 ambulances on the scene (whew!) treating more than 70 people and transporting 31 of them to hospitals...The majority of the victims were firefighters. That’s right, of the 31 people transported, 8 were residents, 3 were EMT’s and 20 were firefighters. It appears that this particular fire department routinely responds to fire alarms without donning the SCBA’s until after they arrive on the scene, if at all...quote from the chief (according to the tv report): "... not all those firefighters had on the proper breathing gear because their first concern was to get in and save those residents." (January 14, 2009 firegeezer.com)

(From a sermon by Aaron Johnson, "God, Our Refuge" 1/17/2009)

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