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by Chris Hedges, The Unz Review: A United Nations report, published on Monday, lays out in chilling detail the advances made by Israel in Gaza as it seeks to eradicate “the very existence of the Palestinian people in Palestine.” This genocidal project, the report ominously warns, “is now metastasizing to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.” The […]

  The childhoods of American Presidents offer a fascinating glimpse into the early experiences that shaped the nation’s leaders. From humble beginnings to famous careers, the stories of the formative years of a select group of men who would eventually become the president of the United States hint at the character, values, and ambitions that would later define their presidencies.   Making the Best of a Bad Situation   1. Ronald Reagan A young Ronald Reagan in Illinois, c. 1920. Source: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library   Life is sometimes what you make of it—especially when your situation seems grim. And that is precisely what two of America’s best-known presidents had done as children. Ronald Reagan, born on February 6, 1911, in Illinois, grew up in a financially unstable household, with a childhood made that much worse by his notoriously lousy eyesight – he had 20/200 vision, making him legally blind. The little boy shied away from sports and group activities that required precise vision. Instead, he became an avid listener, often testing his memory by repeating and recalling specific radio broadcasts.   All that changed after the 13-year-old Ronald visited an ophthalmologist who prescribed his first set of glasses. Although clunky and ridiculed by his peers, Reagan used the glasses to boost his confidence in all other aspects of his life. The one-time shy boy plunged himself headfirst into sports and found a job as a lifeguard at a local beach. Some say that after one summer, when Reagan found himself going into the water nearly thirty times to save people from drowning, the confident teenager gained an appreciation for saving people he would later exhibit in his political career.   2. Barack Obama President Barack Obama’s Official White House Photograph by Pete Souza. Source: The White House   Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961. Yet it would be his boyhood in Indonesia, where his mother and stepfather relocated the family, which would prove to be a test of resilience for the young boy, whom friends and family called Barry. Obama’s biological father had left his mother when Barry was only two, forcing him to live with his grandparents and move frequently as a child. In Indonesia, the six-year-old Barry was the only foreign child in his neighborhood, and his lack of fluency in the local language made life especially difficult. Local children bullied him because of his darker skin, and it also did not help that he was overweight. It dawned on the young man that unless he took it upon himself to improve the situation, help would likely not be forthcoming. Barry began to assimilate by learning the language, joining the local scouts, and teaching himself martial arts just in case anyone doubted his ability to stand up for himself. Obama would later remember his four years in Indonesia as “one long adventure, the bounty of a young boy’s life.”   Breaks and Bruises    3. John F. Kennedy Joseph P. Kennedy with his sons in 1939. From left to right, Joe Jr. Robert, and John. Source: The Boston Globe.   Obama was certainly not the only American president who faced off against bullies as a child. Perhaps the most peculiar case involves young John F. Kennedy, who was often mistreated by his brother Joe, four years his senior. The eldest son and namesake of the wealthy businessman Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Joe was groomed for greatness from a young age as the heir apparent in the political arena and a potential future president—something that his younger brother John (Jack to his friends) would accomplish after the elder sibling’s death during World War II in 1944. John resented the attention his brother solicited from his parents and all other siblings—in fact, he hated it.   As far as Jack was concerned, his brother Joe was a bully who found every opportunity to inflict pain on his more fragile and younger sibling. When the two wrestled or played sports, Joe always hit harder and pinned for a bit longer. A bike race around the block cost Jack 28 stitches after Joe collided with him near the finish line, and the siblings brawled at the dinner table after the younger Kennedy took something off his older brother’s plate. In retrospect, as tough as it was growing up in his brother’s shadow, John would later look back at the time fondly. If not anything else, it taught him resilience, adversity, and the lessons of failure—all qualities that came in handy when facing off against the Soviet Union during the Cold War as president of the United States.   4. Dwight D. Eisenhower Young Dwight D. Eisenhower (front) and his friends in 1907. Source: Eisenhower Presidential Library/National Archives.   President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s relationship with his older brother, while much different than that of the Kennedy siblings, was equally significant in instilling values the future president would rely on in adulthood. At elementary school, Ike, as he would come to be known, received unsolicited attention from an older bully. The threats and chases continued until to Dwight’s surprise, his older brother Arthur, an easy-going and even meeker individual than Ike was at the time, challenged the bully. The young Eisenhower learned the lesson of strength in numbers and the importance of having allies, if not friends.   Still, the bruising and bullying did not stop—and this time, it came not from the playground but from a sizable hissing goose at his uncle’s farm. Ike knew it was time to take his brother’s lead and stand up for himself to the pesky animal that charged him every time the young boy stepped into the yard. For days, the young Eisenhower cowered from the angry animal who would not let him pass until, one day, Ike was done running away. The young boy grabbed a broomstick and drove off the goose. Eisenhower would later refer to the incident with the animal as his first “war,” where he learned the importance of facing one’s enemies from the position of strength—a skill that would come in handy during World War II and later the presidency.   Defining Moments    5. Herbert Hoover Herbert Hoover while attending Stanford University, c. 1891. Source: Business Insider.   Some presidents remembered exactly where they were and what they were doing when they stumbled on their passions that would later define them as grown men. This was certainly the case with Herbert Hoover, dubbed “the Great Humanitarian,” and Theodore Roosevelt, remembered as “the Conservation President.”   When Bertie, as Herbert was known to his family, was six years old, his father passed away, forcing his mother to send young Hoover to live with his uncle, Major Laban Miles, who worked as a US government representative at the Osage Indian Reservation in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. For nearly a year, Bertie lived among his friendly Native American peers, learning how to carve things out of wood, shoot arrows, and live off the land. The young Hoover absorbed everything like a sponge, which included a new appreciation for nature and the plight of Native Americans who, regardless of their differing culture and relative poverty on the reservation, treated the curious boy with respect and humility.   Hoover studied geology in college, became a mining engineer, and eventually gained the nickname “the Great Humanitarian” for his extensive work in disaster relief and commitment to humanitarian efforts during and after World War I. Following his election to the highest office in 1928, Herbert Hoover strived to better Native American conditions—first by choosing Charles Curtis, of Native American descent, as his running mate, and later through reducing corruption in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and promoting the policy of assimilation.   6. Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt as a young man in 1880. Source: Theodore Roosevelt Collection, Harvard College Library   Young Teddy Roosevelt spent a few pages of his autobiography, published in 1913, talking about the moment that put him on a path toward appreciating the natural world. It would be an event that would culminate decades later when, as president of the United States, TR created the United States Forest Service and established 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, five national parks, and eighteen national monuments through the passage of the American Antiquities Act in 1906.   All this began with a dead seal on a wood slab of a fishmonger in New York City. It was there where a seven-year-old Teddy, a sickly and asthmatic boy usually confined to his room with his books, first came across the creature he could simply not get out of his mind. The boy would return the next day and for many days after that (until the seal was sold for meat), measuring the creature, making observations, and taking notes.   When given the seal skull by the fishmonger, Teddy continued to pursue his newfound passion by starting a small museum of animals and other natural curiosities in his bedroom, which he called the Roosevelt Museum of Natural History. Soon, the room was overflowing with various specimens, ranging from frogs and turtles to birds, which the young man skinned and stuffed to study their anatomy. By the time he was twelve, Teddy could no longer keep all of his exhibits and decided to begin a long-lasting tradition of donating his research to museums and national organizations such as the Museum of Natural History in New York and later the Smithsonian Museum. His love for everything outdoors would continue well past his presidency through the preservation efforts of animals and their habitats.   Kids Will Be Kids   A young Jimmy Carter hand-feeds his pony. Source: Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.   While all presidents have childhoods full of stories requiring a deeper analysis than just the few examples mentioned here, it is important to note that at the end of the day, they were all once kids—ones who do certain things they might not be too proud of in adulthood. President John Tyler is known to have led a revolt against his teacher in a one-room schoolhouse when he and his friends tied up the older gentleman with a rope and locked him in the broom closet. Many years later, another would-be president, Calvin Coolidge, locked a mule overnight inside the classroom of a teacher he did not particularly care for. George W. Bush painted a mustache and a beard on his face, mocking his educator, only to wind up in the principal’s office.   Andrew Jackson sneaked out at night and moved his neighbors’ outhouses by shifting them just enough so that when someone used them in the dark, they would accidentally miss the intended hole in the ground. While the story is often circulated as an anecdote about the rebellious child and lacks proper historical evidence to confirm it, the same cannot be said for Grover Cleveland’s prank. Until he accidently locked himself in and was caught red-handed, the young Grover would often sneak up into the school bell tower and ring the bell in the middle of the night, waking up the entire neighborhood. Eisenhower accidentally stabbed his brother in the eye, Richard Nixon scarred his friend for life with a toy hatchet, and Jimmy Carter won an argument with his sister by shooting her with a BB gun. As they say, sometimes, kids will be kids—some might even grow up to become the president of the United States.

  The soul of a small town lies in its creative scenes and artsy vibes. And there are plenty of such places in the US that you most probably don’t know about. So, if you’re a fan of art galleries, museums, and busy event calendars, we recommend you check out this list that we’ve compiled of some of the most iconic small towns in the country that will satisfy every art lover’s passion for creativity, culture, and inspiration.   1. Marfa, Texas Sculptural art installation of Prada, Marfa, Texas. Source: Wikimedia Commons   This artistic oasis is located in the remote Chihuahuan Desert. The art scene in Marfa blossomed in the 1970s. This was when minimalist artist Donald Judd moved to the Texan town from New York. Back then, Judd transformed an old military base into the Chinati Foundation. With its vast installations and emphasis on large-scale immersive art, the foundation has since drawn art lovers from all over the globe. This was how Marfa became a hub for contemporary and conceptual art.   In addition to the Chinati Foundation, make sure to also visit the iconic Prada Marfa. This “store” installation in the desert was meant as a satirical nod to consumerism.   Other attractions to visit in town include Ballroom Marfa. This is an experimental arts center that hosts rotating exhibits. Also, don’t forget to explore outdoor pieces like John Cerney’s Hollywood-inspired billboards along the highway.   2. Hudson, New York Hudson Hall in Hudson, New York. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Hudson is famous for both its creative community and scenic Hudson Valley surroundings. These make it the perfect place for art lovers. Warren Street is central to this scene in the small New York town. This beautiful street is actually lined with diverse art galleries, craft studios, and antique shops. All of these make it a focal point for collectors and artists alike.   If you want to explore works from regional and emerging artists, then make sure to head to galleries such as Carrie Haddad and the Pamela Salisbury Gallery. Another important attraction for art lovers in Hudson is the Basilica Hudson, housed in a repurposed 1880s factory. This basilica hosts multidisciplinary art events, film screenings, and artist residencies.   Aside from visual arts, Hudson boasts historic architecture complemented by a strong farm-to-table dining culture. The town is just a short train ride from New York City, and it’s a perfect destination if you appreciate art, history, and fine cuisine.   3. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California Carmel Art Association, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Source: Wikimedia Commons   This California gem, considered one of the most historic towns in the US, was established as an artist colony in the early 1900s. It’s a quaint, one-square-mile town that’s now home to nearly 100 galleries. These include the Carmel Art Association, which supports local artists, as well as the MEUSE Gallery. The latter is famous for vivid nature-inspired paintings.   When you stroll along Ocean Avenue, you’ll have the chance to explore galleries showcasing everything from sculptures to surf photography, along with high-end boutiques and artisan shops.   For lovers of culture, we recommend that you attend annual events like the Carmel Art Festival and the Carmel International Film Festival. This is where you can enjoy local art alongside wine tastings and live music. As for the picturesque architecture, it is inspired by European village aesthetics. Add to this Carmel’s pedestrian-friendly design, and you’ve got an ideal place for gallery hopping and beachside relaxation.   4. Taos, New Mexico Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, New Mexico. Source: Wikimedia Commons   This town boasts a mix of Native American, Hispanic, and modern American art traditions set against a stunning high-desert landscape. The artistic heritage of Taos began with the Taos Society of Artists, which was founded in 1915 by artists drawn to the rich culture of the Taos Pueblo and the breathtaking surroundings. This group, including notable figures like Ernest Blumenschein and Joseph Henry Sharp, captured the spirit of the Southwest and helped establish Taos as a renowned art colony. Their legacy endures today at the Couse-Sharp Historic Site. This spot celebrates these artists’ contributions to American art.   The Harwood Museum and Taos Art Museum at Fechin House are some of the prominent cultural landmarks that you can see in Taos, where you can learn more about the art history of this town. With almost 100 galleries, annual art festivals, and events such as the Taos Fall Arts Festival, the town is always an inspiration to artists as well as visitors.   5. Saugatuck, Michigan Ox-Bow School of Art, Saugatuck, Michigan. Source: Wikimedia Commons   “The Art Coast of Michigan,” as it’s famously dubbed, this town has long been a magnet for artists and art enthusiasts. Saugatuck boasts a rich cultural scene in addition to lush natural beauty along Lake Michigan. It has actually nurtured creativity for well over a century. It all began with students from the Art Institute of Chicago. This was when they established the Ox-Bow School of Art in 1910, which drew generations of artists to Saugatuck. Today, Ox-Bow offers workshops and artist residencies.   The art scene in Saugatuck is thriving year-round. For instance, you’ve got the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. This one hosts rotating exhibitions, performances, and workshops. Also, there are art festivals such as the Waterfront Invitational Art Fair and the Village Square Arts and Crafts Fair in July. These attract art lovers who browse and buy works from both local and national artists. You can also marvel at public art in town, such as the sculptures in Coghlin Park and murals along the waterfront.   6. Eureka Springs, Arkansas Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Source: Flickr   Nestled in the scenic Ozarks, Eureka Springs is famous for being one of America’s top art towns. This Arkansas gem is home to a thriving community of more than 400 artists who draw inspiration from the area’s iconic landscape and history. The Victorian architecture of Eureka Springs provides a picturesque backdrop to its galleries, sculpture gardens, and public art installations. This has turned the whole town into an artistic canvas.   This creative spirit is celebrated through events like the annual May Festival of the Arts, where you can enjoy juried exhibitions, live performances, and artist-led workshops. Some of the notable galleries you need to see in Eureka Springs include the Zarks Gallery and Quicksilver Gallery. This is where you can explore a wide range of works, from local crafts to contemporary art. Also, don’t forget about the Underground Arts Tour, which offers you a glimpse into the town’s murals, sculptures, and historic landmarks. The nearby Eureka Springs School of Art offers classes and workshops suitable for artists of all levels.   7. Provincetown, Massachusetts Provincetown Art Association & Museum, Provincetown, Massachusetts. Source: Flickr   On the tip of Cape Cod is where you’ll find this storied art haven, widely celebrated as America’s oldest continuous art colony. The artistic legacy of the town began in 1899 when Charles W. Hawthorne opened the Cape Cod School of Art, attracting writers, painters, and performers to the area.   The Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), established in 1914, has become a landmark, where it features over 3,000 works by artists who shaped the creative heritage of Provincetown. The reputation of the town as an arts hub solidified with the Provincetown Players, a theater troupe that launched the careers of luminaries like Eugene O’Neill.   As for the local gallery scene, it’s always thriving, thanks to a variety of venues on Commercial Street where you can explore both contemporary and traditional pieces. The Fine Arts Work Center continues to support emerging artists and writers through residencies. This keeps the bohemian spirit of Provincetown alive. On top of that, summer art strolls, festivals, and the Provincetown International Film Festival keep the artistic energy pulsing.   8. Sedona, Arizona Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, Sedona, Arizona. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Located among stunning red rock formations and natural beauty, this Arizona town is home to over 80 galleries featuring a wide range of art styles, including Southwestern, contemporary, and Native American art. So, there’s no question Sedona is a paradise for art lovers.   It’s essential for you to visit the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. This is a Spanish-inspired area that hosts several galleries and studios where artists display ceramics, jewelry, and paintings inspired by the local landscape.   One of the town’s cultural cornerstones is the Sedona Arts Center which offers workshops and exhibitions year-round. It supports local and visiting artists. Art enthusiasts will have fun at some annual events hosted in Sedona, such as the Sedona Arts Festival. They can enjoy here a wide range of work, including fine art, handmade crafts, and more.   9. Joseph, Oregon Entrance door, Dan Price’s underground house, Joseph, Oregon. Source: Flickr   This charming small town, often called “America’s Little Switzerland,” is set at the foot of the stunning Wallowa Mountains. Joseph has a thriving bronze sculpting scene that began in the 1980s with the establishment of Valley Bronze of Oregon. At present, the town features life-sized bronze sculptures lining Main Street. These are part of the Joseph Art Walk, a self-guided tour that features pieces celebrating regional history, nature, and the artistic spirit of Joseph.   You can also find a wide range of galleries in Joseph, such as Aspen Grove and the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture. These places allow you to marvel at local works spanning sculpture, fine art photography, and handmade jewelry. This unique town in Oregon has consistently shown commitment to preserving and promoting its art culture, which allowed it to become a destination for anyone looking for creativity and tranquility in the mountains.   10. Paducah, Kentucky Floodwall art along the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky. Source: Flickr   Paducah not only has a rich visual and performing arts scene, but it also has a strong emphasis on cultural heritage. The town was designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2013. So, there’s no surprise it’s celebrated globally for its dedication to quilting and textile arts. Found in the heart of Paducah, the National Quilt Museum receives worldwide attention with its vast collection of contemporary quilts and fiber art exhibits. If you’re interested in learning about textiles, then this spot is a must-visit and should be on top of your list when you’re in this Kentucky town.   The Lower Town Arts District is home to the Artist Relocation Program. This district has transformed Paducah’s oldest neighborhood into a creative hub where artists live, work, and showcase their talents. You can also enjoy a stunning public art display along the floodwall of Paducah, which boasts over 50 murals illustrating the history of the town. For art films, head to the Maiden Alley Cinema. It would also be interesting to watch regular performances by the Paducah Symphony Orchestra.

  Cowpox is from the same group as smallpox. Today it is not a common occurrence, and it was named because it predominantly affects cows, although it is much more common with cats. Cows will get blisters or ulcers on their udders. Cowpox can also be transmitted to humans who are near an infected animal. Although it was sometimes fatal in humans, the death rate was low – only at a rate of 3% at most.   Cowpox virus particles from an electron micrograph. Source: Dr. Graham Beards, Wikipedia, May 7, 2017   It was observed in the 1700s that many times farm hands who were infected by cowpox were immune to smallpox. This is where the idea of immunization first began, with using cowpox to protect others from the much deadlier smallpox. In fact, “vaccination” comes from the Latin word vaccinus which translates to “of or from the cow.” While there were inoculations or variolations from smallpox, at the time they were very different than what we picture as a traditional vaccine. Inoculation was the exposure to a virus or disease. Variolation was a form of inoculation that used material from the disease.    Edward Jenner is credited in the creation of the first vaccine, how they work and the first version of a smallpox vaccine. Jenner wasn’t the first one to use cowpox to inoculate against smallpox. Englishman Benjamin Jesty had gotten cowpox by 1774 and gave it to his wife and children to prevent their deaths during a smallpox outbreak. However, he was the first one to work on it, testing it on multiple people and making the knowledge widely known.   Who Was Edward Jenner? Creator of the First Vaccine Edward Jenner. Source: Wikipedia   Edward Jenner was born on May 17, 1749, in England. Like others of the time, he was inoculated against smallpox by variolation—a method using material from a person who was recently variolated or infected with smallpox themselves using parts of the scabs which were powdered and rubbed into scratches on the skin. This is different than a vaccination or vaccine that Jenner would later invent.    The death rate for this method was 1-2%, which was still better than getting the infection naturally, which resulted in death about 30% of the time. This varied depending on the type of smallpox and ranging in fatality rates of 1-100%, with hemorrhagic smallpox only being 3% of the cases, but having a 100% fatality rate.    This method of inoculation was used in England, North America, China, India, parts of Africa, and the Middle East in the late 1600s through the early 1700s. While it protected Jenner against smallpox, the variolation had a negative impact on his health for the rest of his life.    Nonetheless, he led a full life – in 1788 he married Catherine Kingscope and they went on to have three children. Jenner subsequently went on to become a doctor and surgeon after going to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1792. For his work he became a member of many societies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1802 as a foreign honorary member, the American Philosophical Society and Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He died of a supposed stroke January 25, 1823, at 73.     Smallpox & Vaccinations The Cow-Pock—or—the Wonderful Effects of the New Inoculation! June 12, 1802. Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division   Smallpox had symptoms that include a fever, nausea, an aching body, and pustules or “pox” that is present in all the pox diseases. Like other diseases, it was contagious and sufferers would experience occurrences or outbreaks in different places.    Smallpox was used by the British forces against the Indigenous tribes in the French and Indian War and by the American government to get rid of tribes. Since they didn’t have the preexposure and immunity that the Europeans did, it devastated the population. Outbreaks in Boston during the revolution led to a pause in fighting after the Battle of Bunker Hill because Washington feared the lack of immunity among his soldiers. He stated that, “finding the smallpox to be spreading much and fearing that no precaution can prevent it from running thro’ the whole of our Army, I have determined that the Troops shall be inoculated.”   When Jenner created the vaccination, it became popular and of high value. The cost of inoculation meant it was not available for everyone – many who would not have been able to afford the treatment offered themselves to Jenner as test subjects. He published his test results in a 1798 pamphlet titled, An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of Variolae Vaccinae, a Disease, Discovered in Some of the Western Counties of England Particularly Gloucestershire, and Known by the Name of Cow Pox. Jenner was eventually given 30,000 pounds by the British Parliament for his vaccination (which would be about 2,000,000 pounds today).   Cowpox Today: Is it Still Around? Decade in which smallpox ceased to be endemic by country. October 3, 2019. Source: Wikipedia and Our World Data   Thankfully, today we do not have to worry about the contagious disease of cowpox because of the highly effective vaccination programs. In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that smallpox had been eradicated after the last natural case in October of 1977, although that wasn’t the last death from the disease. Janet Parker, who worked as a medical photographer, died in 1978 after somehow contracting the disease at the University of Birmingham Medical School.    While the WHO has recommended countries destroy the samples of smallpox previously used for research because the disease is eradicated, as of 2024 this still hasn’t been completed – strains of the virus have been found in different envelopes and vials in various locations. As much as it might seem a toxic virus today, without cowpox, it would have been much harder to protect the population against smallpox, and many more people might have died from its effects.

  Most presidents are remembered for specific achievements or mistakes made during their tenure. However, Calvin Coolidge is often remembered for what he didn’t do, and with admiration. While maintaining a steadfast attitude against drastic change, the president managed to keep the country on a steady course of “Coolidge prosperity.”   While his actions may have been somewhat bland, there is much more to the sometimes mysterious, always fascinating “Silent Cal” that the history books often leave out. Could he perhaps be the coolest of the presidents?   1. Coolidge Was Born on the Fourth of July Calvin Coolidge and his sons in 1920. Source: Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum   John Calvin Coolidge, named for his father, was born on July 4, 1872. Later dropping his first name in favor of his middle moniker, often shortened to “Cal,” the young man enjoyed a pleasant childhood in Plymouth, Vermont. His father was a storekeeper and a prominent member of the community. His mother was said to be quite beautiful and dreamy in disposition. However, she was frail in constitution, and when Calvin was twelve, his mother passed away.   Calvin honored his mother by always carrying a locket with her photo for the rest of his life. Five years later, he’d suffer great loss once again when his younger sister and only sibling, Abigail or “Abbie,” died at age 12, likely from an attack of appendicitis. Through their grief, Calvin and his father persisted in maintaining the family store and homestead, and Calvin continued his studies.   2. He Didn’t Get an Evil Stepmother; Quite the Opposite Coolidge in a 1923 portrait. Source: Library of Congress   In 1891, John Coolidge found love again and remarried. His new wife was Carolina “Carrie” Brown, a local school teacher. Calvin had known his new stepmother his entire life, and she stepped into her new role perfectly. She had a caring nature and treated Cal like her own son. He spoke of her fondly in life and in his autobiography, and the two were very close until her death in 1920.   3. He Met His Wife Because She Was Laughing at Him The Coolidges at a Chicago stock show in a 1924 Source: Chicago Tribune   After attending and graduating from Amherst College in 1895, Coolidge began pursuing the law. He worked for a firm in Northampton, Massachusetts before passing the bar in 1897 and striking out on his own. In Northampton, he met his future wife, Grace Anna Goodhue, whom he married in 1905. Coolidge was in his room at a local boarding house one evening, shaving. He happened to be doing so in front of the window, wearing only his underwear and a hat. Miss Goodhue was traveling past on foot when she caught sight of him and, thinking he looked foolish, laughed loud enough for him to hear. Coolidge later claimed he was wearing the hat to keep his hair out of his eyes.   4. Coolidge Learned He Was President in the Middle of the Night & His Father Swore Him In Grace and Calvin Coolidge in August 1923. He is wearing a black armband to signify mourning for the death of former president Warren G. Harding. Source: Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum   On August 2, 1923, Calvin and Grace were vacationing at the Coolidge family home in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. In the middle of the night, the elder Coolidge woke his son after learning that President Warren G. Harding died of a heart attack. At 2:24 AM, in the presence of several reporters who had gathered, John Coolidge, a justice of the peace, gave his son the oath of office, swearing him in as the 30th president of the United States. What was Calvin’s first action as president? He went back to bed.   5. He Was Lauded for “Doing Nothing” Effectively Coolidge at a baseball game in 1925. Bill McKechnie is to the left and Bucky Harris to the right. Source: Library of Congress   American journalist Walter Lippmann praised Coolidge for his “active inactivity” and its effect on the country’s success. In his inaugural address, Coolidge praised the “state of contentment” the country was in and that he hoped to maintain it. His approach appealed to people who thought the government had exercised too much reach in the past and business owners who wanted to be left to the “Invisible Hand” rather than face more regulation.   Coolidge and his cabinet, 1925. Source: Library of Congress   The country was enjoying the economic boom of the Roaring Twenties as Coolidge came into office, but he did not wish to see the excess many Americans were enjoying reflected in government spending and interference. He vetoed multiple bills to bail out the agriculture industry and create a federal electrical project to produce cheap power. Measures such as these paid off, and Coolidge became and remained a popular president as the country enjoyed what the media called “Coolidge Prosperity.”   6. Coolidge Wasn’t Much of a Talker President Coolidge at a church groundbreaking, 1924. Source: Library of Congress   Known to many as “Silent Cal,” Coolidge was a man of few words, but when he did speak, he often did so with his dry wit. His wife recounted a story that took place at a dinner party when a young lady sat next to Coolidge and told him that she had made a bet with a friend that she could get more than three words out of him. Without making eye contact or cracking a smile, he responded, “You lose.”   President Coolidge in cowboy costume in South Dakota in 1927. Source: Library of Congress   Coolidge told friends that he often sat silently during interviews because even a simple “yes” or “no” would “wind them [reporters] up for twenty minutes more.” Still, Coolidge is considered one of the most accessible presidents despite his quietude. He hosted many visitors and groups at the White House over his term and participated in numerous public events across the country.   7. Coolidge Didn’t Own a Home Until He Retired Coolidge in his office in an undated photo. Source: Library of Congress   Before he married, young lawyer Coolidge rented a room in a boarding house. Even after he was wed, the Coolidge family, which grew to include two sons, decided to rent rather than purchase a home. They leased half of a two-family duplex in Northampton until they moved into the White House.   While serving as vice president, Coolidge moved his family to the Willard Hotel in DC but maintained their rental in Northampton. They returned there after his tenure as president but found that the home lacked the privacy they desired in retirement. In 1930, they purchased The Beeches, a large home with a long private driveway and plenty of trees in the southern part of Northampton.   8. He Was an Animal Lover First Lady Grace Coolidge with Rebecca the Raccoon in 1927. Library of Congress photo. Source: NBC News.   Calvin Coolidge was an admirer of animals and had several pets during his presidency. Though his favorite was said to be his collie, Rob Roy, his menagerie was plentiful. The family had dogs, cats, and birds, along with a friendly raccoon named Rebecca. Along with the presidency came gifts from foreign dignitaries and domestic fans; some of these presents were living creatures.   For example, Harvey Firestone, of automotive fame, gave the president a pygmy hippo that hailed from the African nation of Liberia. Coolidge donated the creature named Billy to the National Zoo, where he became a popular attraction known for his friskiness.   Coolidge was also gifted a pair of lion cubs from the mayor of Johannesburg, South Africa. They were amusingly named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau, and Coolidge used them to send a message about fiscal responsibility in the United States. As twins, the cubs were the same size, and Coolidge emphasized that they would need to be fed equally to maintain this. He compared this to the equal importance of focusing on a federal budget while reducing tax burdens, not just targeting taxes. Coolidge, a fiscal conservative, walked the walk, bringing the top individual income tax rate down to 25% during his term while working on the budget, vetoing over 50 spending bills and cutting existing expenditures.   9. He Was a Believer in Equality Robert Russa Moton, second president of Tuskegee Institute. Source: Tuskegee University (formerly Institute)   Coolidge spoke out for civil rights during his tenure. He shunned members of the Ku Klux Klan when it came to appointing public officers. While it was many years before Washington recognized African Americans as equal under the law, Coolidge made efforts to hear from the African American community, welcoming groups such as the Negro National Educational Congress to the White House and communicating with leaders such as Robert Moton, principal of Tuskegee Institute. Under Coolidge’s presidency, he signed the Snyder Act, or Indian Citizenship Act, into law in 1924, which granted US citizenship to America’s Indigenous people for the first time.   10. Some People Wanted Coolidge Forced Into a Second Term Coolidge tips his hat, 1924. Source: Library of Congress   Calvin Coolidge declined to run for a second term at the end of his first full term in 1928, despite the general belief that the popular incumbent would easily win. There were several reasons for his decision, including the death of his son. In his autobiography, Coolidge wrote that when his youngest son, Calvin Jr., only sixteen, died of an infection, “the power and glory of the presidency went with him.”   Coolidge also suggested that he believed a politician staying in office too long was at risk of becoming “careless and arrogant” due to the atmosphere of worshippers and supplicants a president is often surrounded with.   C.K. Berryman cartoon titled “In the Yellowstone,” published in 1927. Source: National Park Service   On August 2, 1927, Coolidge was traveling in the Black Hills when he printed a statement to hand out to local reporters: “I do not choose to run for president in 1928.” He refused to answer follow-up questions and felt the matter was settled. However, he was so popular among the American people that many refused to take no for an answer.   A movement erupted in which people wondered if the president could be drafted, much like the military, and forced to continue in his role. Due to the success of this movement, Coolidge was forced to make another statement in December, encouraging the Republican National Committee to search for another contender.   Herbert Hoover in 1928. Source: National Archives   Still, many continued to support the “draft Coolidge” ideology as the election loomed. Coolidge addressed the party once more in June 1928, as he heard whispers that several party leaders still planned to vote for him at the Republican National Convention. He sent personal messages instructing them to please not do so, as he felt the best move for the country was for him to “succeed himself.” Finally, Republican voters acquiesced, and Herbert Hoover, who had served as commerce secretary under Coolidge, gained the nomination for president in the 1928 election.

  In the US, Japanese immigrants’ adoption of Christianity could be a natural consequence of living in a predominantly Christian nation. However, Christian institutions aimed at Japanese immigrants in America served many purposes besides religion. Particularly in the early period, churches were often the first points of interaction for newly emigrated Japanese, especially among those without established contacts.   Japan’s Conflicted History With Christianity St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit Missionary who visited Japan, late 16th to early 17th century. Source: Kobe City Museum   Christianity played an important role in shaping the course of Japanese history. After decades of allowing missionaries to proselytize, in 1633, the Japanese government decided that the growing religion was a threat to its sovereignty. Those in charge feared that the spread of Catholicism would mean Japanese Christians would be more loyal to the pope than to the nation, so they imposed severe travel restrictions (both international and domestic) and all but eradicated Christianity within its borders. In fact, less than two percent of Japan’s current population identifies as Christian (The World Factbook, Japan).   Japan began allowing foreigners to enter the country after the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854. Foreign traders in Japan proliferated, and with them came Christian missionaries. These missionaries played an important role in helping the Japanese modernize to Western standards; they taught the children of the former elite samurai class at newly established American-run mission schools (Lee, 2018, p. 51). This association with the upper class may have favorably biased Japanese travelers toward accepting Christianity. Of those who decided to emigrate to the United States, fifteen to twenty percent converted to Christianity by 1930 (Spickard, 1996, p. 61).   Who Emigrated & Why  Issei at a Railroad Camp, ca. 1895. Source: Y. Matsushima, Japanese American National Museum   The feudal Tokugawa government was ousted by 1868, but the Japanese government’s policy of restricting travel carried over into the new Meiji era. It was not until 1885 that Japanese citizens were granted passports and allowed to travel abroad. At first, Japan enlisted elite citizens to travel abroad to learn Western ways that could then be brought back to Japan for implementation. Japanese immigrants arrived as students seeking the enlightenment of a Western education. Many of these “schoolboys” pooled resources to form small delivery services and restaurants or took lodgings with American families and did chores and errands to earn their keep while they studied (Ano, 1997, pp. 178–179).   When the Meiji officials decided to focus their resources on modernization, they found it an expensive process. To raise funds for modernization, Japan began introducing a system of tax reforms in 1873. One of these reforms was particularly burdensome to farmers. Instead of taxing income made from the production and selling of crops, the government decided to tax the farmer’s land at a flat rate of three percent of its estimated value. If the farmer had a good year and could sell at a high price, he was relatively unaffected. However, a poor harvest or low market would put the farmer in tough straits. Unfortunately, regulations of the rice markets caused prices to fall by more than half between 1881 and 1884 (Moriyama, 1985, pp. 2–4). No longer able to support their families or meet the tax obligations, many farmers lost their lands.   Map of Japan showing the capitol and the prefectures that supplied the most emigrants. Source: Spickard (1996); Image made by Anje Ukyu   A significant influence on the Meiji government’s decision to let its citizens travel was pressure from nations seeking Japanese workers. Between the Meiji restoration in 1868 and the end of the travel restrictions in 1885, the Japanese government received several requests for workers from the Dutch, Spanish, Kingdom of Hawaii, Britain, Canada, and the United States (Moriyama, 1985, p. 8). Most Japanese who emigrated to America came from the south of Japan. The prefectures of Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto supplied the bulk of the early immigrants (Moriyama, 1985, p. 13).   Japanese Immigration to the US Pacific Coast. Source: Mears (1928), p. 412; Table by Anje Ukyu   Many early immigrants considered themselves to be temporary sojourners or dekaseginin. Their purpose in traveling to America was to find good-paying jobs that would allow them to save up enough money to return to Japan and set themselves up as farmers or merchants. While the average wage for a day’s labor in Japan in 1890 was about $0.14, work in America paid between $1.00 and $1.50 (Peterson, 2004, p. 12). The immigrants’ intention to return to Japan is supported by the fact that most early immigrants were heads of household or elder sons who would inherit their family’s wealth (Moriyama, 1985, pp. 17–18). As such, they could not be expected to settle permanently in the US.   Regardless of the reason for travel, the West Coast was a popular destination for Japanese immigrants. The Japanese community along the Pacific Coast had a population of around 1,559 people in 1890, and it expanded rapidly in the following decades (Ichihashi, 1915, p. 7).   Shinto & Buddhism in America Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii, early 19th century. Source: Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii   From poor farmers to the sons of wealthy families, the first wave of Japanese immigrants, or Issei, came from diverse backgrounds. Nevertheless, once they reached American shores, their similarities far outweighed their differences. Newly arrived Japanese in America immediately faced the challenge of settling into their new lives despite having few or no resources to ease their way into society.   Early immigrants to America, especially those outside the major Japanese populations in California, had limited choices regarding religion. Those who immigrated after 1900 had a much wider range of organizations to choose from. Japanese immigrants were most familiar with the mixture of Shinto and Buddhism that had been practiced in Japan for centuries.   Shinto became particularly important in Japan around 1910 when the Meiji government established State Shinto to promote nationalistic and patriotic ideals. Part of this was the reminder that according to Shinto tradition, the Japanese emperor is a descendant of Japan’s patron goddess, Amaterasu (Gordon, 2003, p. 137). Although the first Shinto Shrine in the US was established in Hawai’i in 1898, Shinto played a minor role in America. It is involved more with tradition than specific services and rites, and Japanese immigrants in America practiced Shinto homes without the need for formal institutions (Abe & Imamura).   The majority of Issei retained their Buddhist faith while in America. As with Shinto, the Issei performed necessary rites at home before their family altar. One woman recalls: “We had observed Buddhist rituals at our family altar, and Father chanted his rituals before breakfast and after supper. Brought up in this religious family background, I found I could remember those chants in the United States” (Tamura, 1993, p. 129).   Christianity Among Early Japanese Immigrants Portrait of Masuo Yasui, ca 1903–1910. Source: The Yasui Family Collection   Despite the ability to continue some religious practices at home, during the earliest period of Japanese immigration, there were no Buddhist priests or temples established in America, so there was no one who could perform familiar birth, marriage, and death rites. Protestant churches and organizations stepped in to fill the void. In addition to spiritual salvation, Christian institutions, including associations like the YWCA, held English language classes, offered help with finding employment, and even provided childcare. Furthermore, the Christian church became extremely popular with Japanese women in America because it allowed them to participate in life outside the home (Spickard, 1996, p. 60).   One example of how Christianity facilitated life in the US can be seen in the story of sixteen-year-old Masuo Yasui. Yasui arrived in America in 1903; he intended to join his father and brother, who had already been in America for several years (Kessler, 1993, pp. 9–10). However, when Yasui’s ship docked in Seattle on March 12, his family was not there to greet him. Instead, they were one thousand miles away working on the railroad. With fourteen dollars in his pocket and no English at his command, Yasui was fortunate to be greeted by the Methodist Missionaries who (at the time) waited to meet each incoming ship (Kessler, 1993, p. 12). Yasui, who had a clear destination and plan, did not linger with the missionaries. However, their presence at the dock in Seattle suggests the great difficulties new immigrants faced in America and the ability of the missionaries to help them.   Oakland Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church, 1907. Source: The Yamashita Family Archives   Of all Christian denominations, the Methodist church was particularly active in the lives of Japanese immigrants. Their mission work was so vital that Japanese-oriented missions sprang up in areas where the Japanese community was negligible. For example, in 1887, the Japanese population of Portland, Oregon was around thirty people, but by October 1892, the Reverend Teikichi Kawabe, an ordained deacon of a San Franciscan Methodist Church, was charged with journeying throughout the northwest to meet with immigrants in different communities. Reverend Kawabe reported a definite need for a mission to serve the widespread Oregon communities, and in 1893, he founded the Japanese Episcopal Church of Portland—currently known as Epworth United Methodist Church.   A photo card of Reverend Kawabe and his wife, sent sometime after his return to Japan in 1897. Source: The Yasui Family Collection   Despite their services, doubts arose as to whether Christian churches were helpful for assimilation. A 1915 report on the status of Japanese immigrants in California states:   “In every community where any considerable number of Japanese have settled Christian missions have been instituted for their benefit. The membership of the Christian missions, while large and increasing year by year, is smaller than that of the Buddhist organizations. These missions are for Japanese alone, a recognition of the difference between them and other races and a condition which lessens their value as an assimilative force” (Ichihashi, p.48).   The report suggests that the homogeneity of the congregations of Japanese-oriented churches made it impossible for Japanese immigrants to assimilate into American life. However, Japanese immigrants may have looked to the predominantly white leaders of the churches to help them understand and adapt to white society (Spickard, 1996, p. 60).   Enduring Faith  Portland’s Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church members greet their old friend Yosuke Matsuoka (at the base of the stairs, holding a cane), 1933. Source: Oregon Historical Quarterly 98(2)   Support from the Epworth Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon, and nurturing from a white family was certainly pivotal in the life of Yosuke Matsuoka, a Japanese immigrant of the “schoolboy” variety. Matsuoka’s mother was a dedicated believer in the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism (Shin Shū). Part of her reasons for allowing him to travel to America was to help facilitate US-Japanese relations by exposing Americans to Buddhist thought (Lu, p.4.). Matsuoka, it seems, had other ideas about religion.   Not long after Matsuoka’s arrival in Portland, Reverend Kawabe took him in and helped him settle into his new life. He enrolled Matsuoka in a local grade school and found him a part-time job performing chores and errands for local Christian families (Lu, 2007, p. 6). Placing Japanese students with Christian families to do odd jobs served many purposes for Christian missions. The missionaries saw it as providing a source of cheap labor to the families and giving the boys a chance to see how established Americans were living life. It also gave the boys good Christian role models to emulate and a chance to improve their English. Many immigrants came to the US with little English.   Soon, Matsuoka was invited to live with a Christian family. In return for his room and board, he helped around the house doing small chores. Furthermore, he was taken under the wing of the lady of the house, Isabelle Dunbar Beveridge.   Matsuoka visiting Mrs. Beveridge’s grave with her surviving family, 1933. Source: OHS negative CN 012612   Mrs. Beveridge treated Matsuoka like a son, teaching him English and seeing to his education. Matsuoka would remember Mrs. Beveridge as a second mother. His description of the lady is as follows:   “The lady was a faithful Christian who possessed a lucid penetration into everything. And besides, she was a very virtuous housewife. When I look back on myself, daily directed and enlightened by such a lady like an angel during my growing period from ages 14 to 16, I really think myself fortunate and I consider it a strange act of Providence” (Ano, p. 174).   Decades later, Matsuoka would rise to power in Japan. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he would eventually be charged with traveling to Germany to sign the Tripartite Pact with Adolf Hitler. Still, he always remembered his time in the United States and the Christian woman who had supported him. Throughout his life, Matsuoka spoke of her fondly.   Religious conversion was a convenient way for some immigrants to gain acceptance in American society during their stay in the United States. For others, such as Matsuoka, the conversion was genuine and wholehearted. In Matsuoka’s case, the choice to adopt Christianity was influenced by the kindness and sympathy shown to Matsuoka by Reverend Kawabe and Mrs. Beveridge. After returning to Japan, Matsuoka respected observances of Shinto and Buddhism but maintained that he was a Christian if only in his own way, saying: “While I am a Christian, I am a Matsuoka Christian” (Ano, 1997, pp. 173–174).   From their first steps on US soil to their burial on the same soil, Christian institutions were meaningful for many Japanese immigrants’ lives in America. The church offered fellowship, community connection, practical aid, and spiritual support.   References:   Abe, D. K., & Imamura, A. (2019). The destruction of Shinto shrines in Hawaii and the West Coast during World War II: The lingering effects of Pearl Harbor and Japanese-American internment. Asian Anthropology, 18(4), 266–281. https://doi.org/10.1080/1683478x.2019.1592816 Ano, M. (1997). Yosuke Matsuoka: The Far-Western roots of a world-political vision. Oregon Historical Quarterly 98(2), 164–204. Gordon, A. (2003). A modern history of Japan: From Tokugawa times to the present. Oxford University Press. Ichihashi, Y. (1915). Japanese immigration its status in California. Marshall, 1915. Kessler, L. (1993). Stubborn twig: Three generations in the life of a Japanese American family. Random House. Kamano, Y (Trans).  (1982). History of Epworth United Methodist Church. Epworth United Methodist Church. Lee, J. H. X. (Ed.). (2018). Japanese Americans: The history and culture of a people. ABC-CLIO. Lu, D. J. (2007). Agony of choice: Matsuoka Yōsuke and the rise and fall of the Japanese Empire, 1880–1946. Lexington. Mears, E. G. (1928). Resident Orientals on the American Pacific Coast; Their legal and economic status. University of Chicago. Moriyama, A. T. (1985). Imingaisha: Japanese emigration companies and Hawaii, 1894–1908. University of Hawaii. Peterson, T. (2004). Japanese Americans. Heinemann Library. Spickard, P. R. (1996). Japanese Americans: The formation and transformations of an ethnic group. Twayne Publishers. Tamura, L. (1993). The Hood River Issei: An oral history of Japanese settlers in Oregon’s Hood River Valley. University of Illinois.

To give thanks, we must realize as Christians that God is in control of all circumstances that surround our lives, both good and bad.

As my high school career wound down, I dreamed of playing baseball in college. I spent hours before and after school hitting off the tee in the batting cage, trying to improve my swing enough to get recruited. Unfortunately, all those reps off the tee didn’t help because every swing reinforced my bad habits. I needed a coach to guide my practice so it wouldn’t go to waste. Established preachers often tell younger preachers beginning their ministries, “The best way to learn how to preach is to preach. Take every opportunity you can.” This is true—if you’re taking good reps. The danger is that young preachers and teachers sometimes don’t know how to take good practice swings, so every preaching opportunity can reinforce bad habits. In Proclaiming the Word: Principles and Practices for Expository Preaching, David J. Jackman, former president of the Proclamation Trust and founding director of the Cornhill Training Course, distills three decades of experience training preachers into a book that provides the tools for preachers and teachers to take better reps. This book is designed to “identify and illustrate biblically the principles and methodology of exposition” to help preachers honor the text of Scripture (xiv). Justifying Expository Preaching Unlike textbooks such as Christ-Centered Preaching, Power in the Pulpit, or Biblical Preaching, Proclaiming the Word doesn’t provide detailed instructions on how to craft different parts of a sermon. Instead, it offers examples of developing and applying good preparation techniques so each preaching opportunity leads to growth. Jackman coaches readers to adjust their preparation and preaching methods to grow as a teacher or preacher of God’s Word. Young preachers sometimes don’t know how to take good practice swings, so every preaching opportunity can reinforce bad habits. John Stott once wrote that “the essential secret [to preaching well] is not mastering certain techniques but being mastered by certain convictions.” Following this model, Jackman begins his book by outlining the fundamental convictions and character traits a preacher needs to keep going with exposition. “To many people,” Jackman writes, “preaching seems strangely out of place in the modern world” (1). And so the preacher has to believe in both the expository preaching method and the Bible’s contents to show the importance of proclamation to the world. Instead of adopting modern communication techniques in a quest for relevance, Jackman argues that “expository preaching does not have to create relevance because nothing could be more relevant than the living and enduring word of the one true and living God” (17). Expository preaching is the natural outflow of believing God has inspired the Word. What makes expository preaching hard, however, is that attempts to shape the message according to the passage can sometimes turn the sermon into a running commentary. Jackman teaches readers to avoid this by knowing and applying the passage to their congregation and by reading well. Good Preaching Starts with Good Reading “Expository” sermons that are biblical but not textual begin with a failure of reading. As T. David Gordon points out in Why Johnny Can’t Preach, the same sermon on salvation by grace through faith could be preached from John 3:16 or Ephesians 2:1–10 or Romans 5:6–11 if the preacher doesn’t allow the specific details of each text to expose its unique message. The resultant sermon may be biblical, but it won’t be textual. Jackman shows that good preaching starts with good reading, listening to the text to hear what it’s actually saying so you can proclaim it from the pulpit. Jackman uses the narrative of Jesus’s temptations in the wilderness as an example. Matthew 4 is often preached as a stand-alone encouragement to resist temptation by memorizing Scripture like Jesus did. There’s some truth to this interpretation. Jesus serves as a model for us, but to only make this application misses Matthew’s larger point. As Jackman highlights, the passage begins with “then.” That shows the temptation narrative is connected to Jesus’s baptism. Matthew is tying Jesus’s baptism and temptation together to show he’s stepping into the story of Israel. Jackman writes, The voice from heaven has just declared Jesus to be God’s beloved Son. Now, like Israel before, he faces temptation in the wilderness. But whereas Israel repeatedly sinned and failed the test, this Son triumphed. (117) Thus Jesus can and will save us by his faithful life and obedient death on the cross. Carefully reading the text of Matthew 4 helps the preacher to make a textual connection to the larger gospel story even as he preaches on Jesus’s temptations. Bringing It All Together Proclaiming the Word is an excellent sourcebook for preachers. Jackman provides numerous examples of contextual readings from the Old and New Testament to help the preacher grow in his ability to accurately expose what God’s Word says. Jackman closes the volume with an effort to develop the readers’ “skills and confidence in understanding the Bible’s metanarrative” (195). The goal is to help readers see Scripture as a whole. Expository preaching is the natural outflow of believing God has inspired the Word. It’s no surprise a book on preaching method begins with a theological justification for preaching God’s Word and ends by outlining the big-picture theology of God’s Word. Expositional preaching always involves exegeting the sermon passage in the context of Scripture’s larger picture. By covering the convictions, practical skills, and whole-Bible understanding needed to preach faithfully, Jackman provides “a hands-on training manual” for expositors (x). The best way to use this book is to read it fully and then return to individual chapters as needed. Paul encouraged Timothy to immerse himself in the task of preaching so all would see his progress (1 Tim. 4:13–15). Reading this book doesn’t substitute for experience, but Proclaiming the Word can help both new and experienced church leaders make the most of every preaching and teaching opportunity.