The Reading of the Mail

Some video of Acastas having gotten their mail and reading through it!

Reflecting on the Remarkable and Interesting Particulars in the life of John Newton

by Frank Jarboe

To the officers and crew of HMS Acasta,

It is little surprise to those of you that have listened to either my conversation or my sermons that I am deeply influenced by the life and writings of Reverend John Newton, late Rector of St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Street, London. It is – in part – through his handling of doctrinal matters that my own serious attachment to Christ has grown. If you would permit me, I would like to share a portion of a letter Rev. Newton wrote recounting an eventful time at sea... particularly concerning a day which found him forever changed. His age at the time of the event was two and twenty.

“The 10th, that is, in the present style, the 21st of March, is a day much to be remembered by me, and I have never suffered it to pass wholly unnoticed since the year 1748. On that day the Lord sent from on high, and delivered me out of deep waters.”

With the ship that had rescued him from a life of slavery in Africa having been heavily damaged in a storm in the North Atlantic, Rev. Newton wrote: “We soon found the ship was filling with water very fast. The sea had torn away the upper timbers on one side, and made the ship a mere wreck in a few minutes… We had immediate recourse to the pumps, but the water increased against all our efforts : some of us were set to bailing in other parts of the vessel… we had but eleven or twelve people to sustain this service … notwhithstanding all we could do, she was full or very near it… We expended most of our cloaths and bedding to stop the leaks – over these we nailed pieces of boards, and at last perceived the water to abate…”

“I continued at the pump from three in the morning till near noon, and then I could do no more. I went and lay down upon my bed, uncertain, and almost indifferent whether I should rise again. In an hour’s time I was called; and, not being able to pump, I went to the helm, and steered the ship till midnight, excepting a small interval for refreshment. …I had here [while at the helm] leisure and convenient opportunity for reflection. I began to think of my former religious professions,—the extraordinary turns of my life,—the calls, warnings, and deliverances I had met with,—the licentious course of my conversation,—particularly my unparalleled effrontery in making the Gospel history (which I could not be sure was false, though I was not yet assured it was true) the constant subject of profane ridicule. …Thus, as I have said, I waited with fear and impatience to receive my inevitable doom.”

“But —When I saw, beyond all probability, that there was still hope of respite, and heard, about six in the evening, that the ship was freed from water, there arose a gleam of hope. I thought I saw the hand of God displayed in our favour. I began to pray: I could not utter the prayer of faith; I could not draw near to a reconciled God, and call him Father: my prayer was like the cry of the ravens, which yet the Lord does not disdain to hear. I now began to think of that Jesus whom I had so often derided: I recollected the particulars of his life, and of his death; a death for sins not his own, but, as I remembered, for the sake of those who, in their distress, should put their trust in him…”

This is the day Rev. Newton wrote of in that hymn introduced on January 1, 1773 when he spoke of the amazing grace of God. His words were, “How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed!” … March 10, 1748 – old style. 

Leaving the contents of this discourse to your reflection,

I remain &c. 

Rev. John P Griswold

THE PARSON

John Frank Jarboe was born in Breckenridge County Kentucky and raised on a farm near the tiny town of McDaniels. 

Graduating from high school in 1973 he was never interested in history.  But since, in addition to tracing his genealogy back to the 11th century, Frank has spent the past 25 years researching the events surrounding The Second Great Awakening of 1800 and the religious atmosphere in the 17th to the early 19th centuries.   

Frank spent 35 years as a photographer, with most of those years being the manager of a professional photofinishing lab.  In addition to his years in photography, Jarboe and his wife Carol along with their two daughters operated a small farm on which they raised sheep, horses and chickens.  They also ran a horse-drawn carriage service for 10 years.  Frank & Carol are grandparents to 6, one of which resides in heaven.

Frank & Carol’s journey into reenacting began in 2003 with the idea of incorporating Frank’s research into the persona of a frontier minister.

Since that time, the couple has traveled extensively (averaging about 44 weekends each year) doing 18th c. presentations as Parson John and his indentured servant Maggie Delaney – or early 19th c. as Rev. John P Griswold (a family name) and Lady Caroline Linnington.  As an ordained minister, Rev. Jarboe regularly conducts time/place appropriate church services along with other ministerial duties such as weddings and funerals. www.parsonjohn.org

Acasta Anniversaries

A special post designed to celebrate our members that have been with us a while! It's THEIR dedication that helps to make Acasta the group that it is! These are the Four and Five year members...

Jim Apple's first event with us was the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, KY. 7/2013


Frank Jarboe's first event with us was the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, KY. 7/2013

Tony Gerard's first event with us was the Fair at New Boston 8/2013

James Vassermann's first event with us was the Fair at New Boston. 8/2013

Jake Book's first event with us was the Acasts's School of the Sailor in Louisville, KY. 1/2014

Steven Diatz's first event with us was the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, KY. 7/2014

Richard Stone's first event was Fort Bowyer 9/2014

David Hobbs's first event was Fort Bowyer 9/2014

Sam Linden's first event with us was the Fair at New Boston, 2014

A Prayer at Jane Austen Festival 2017

Acasta ship's chaplain the Rev. Mr. Griswold offers a prayer before dinner at the

2017 Jane Austen Festival.

John Griswold Ship's Chaplain

Rev Griswold on the right, his sister-in-law Lady Caroline Linnington on the far left in black.

The Rev. Mr. John Phinehas Griswold was born August 2, 1755 in the town of Kenilworth, in the [then] Colony of Connecticut.  Descended from Edward Griswold of Warwickshire and loyal to the King, John received his formal education in the Colonies during those turbulent years of the rebellion before traveling to England to complete his ordination.  Upon taking residence near Warwick, John met and married the radiantly beautiful Miss Agatha W., the younger sister to Lady Caroline Linnington.  

After his ordination, it was the prolific writings of the Rev. John Newton, a former sailor, who greatly influenced Griswold’s faith and practice. Newton’s books and letters along with the sermons of Rev. James Ramsay, a former Naval Surgeon, first alerted Griswold to the possibilities of serving in His Majesties Navy as a Chaplin.  News of the successes of the Evangelicals in serving in ships under “Blue Light” Captains drove Griswold to actively seek a place to serve.  But it was not until Agatha’s tragic death three years ago that Griswold was able to consider fulfilling that call.   Preaching at sea seemed a suitable balm for his weary soul, and a salary of 11.8.0 per annum was of no consequence as eternal prospects far outweighed temporal rewards. Rev. Griswold has served onboard the HMS Acasta for the past two years.

More from the Mail Packet

Don't forget to check back every Monday at 8AM CST for brand new ACASTA content!

A letter home from Baptiste

Dearest Marie, 

    The blockaid drags on and you are never far from my thoughts. I think my English writing as become very good now, ask Mr Clarke if he does not think it is so. I have no real news, so I will tell you of religion and our Chaplain. 

    Our Captain seems like a devout enough fellow, but he is not what the English call a Blue Light Captain. That means a Captain so devout that he will have a fellow flogged for cursing or something similar. Other Captains are much to the other way, they carry no Chaplain and read the men the articles of war each week. These are the rules by which the English govern their sailors. I have already heard them more that I care to- for any offense it seems a fellow can be put to death.

We have a Chaplain, Reverend Griswold, and I like him very well. Each day he makes a visit among the sick and injured, offering them encouragement. He often writes letters for the men and I do not know that I have ever seen him chastise one for his misdeeds. I will tell you how he goes about correcting them.

The Rev. Mr. Griswold

A sailor named Bill Holder had talked loud and long of the girls in Bermuda- he had been there before- and all the things he would do when we wintered there. The closer we came the more he spoke of it. At last when we are  in port he and his tie mate are waiting for the ship's boat to return, as they are in the next lot to have liberty. The Reverend Griswold come up and puts his hand on his shoulder "Bill" he says" I'm sure there is a packet heading back to England from here. Anytime you wish I will help you to write a letter, I know you must miss your wife and daughters terrible fierce". As soon as the reverend goes Bill takes some coins from his pocket and gives them to his mate "you go kick up Bobs a dyin for me Willie, I need to go cypher out what to write to Mary and the girls" he says. If he ever went ashore in Bermuda  I never new of it. 

When they have a service the Catholics abord, and there are more than you would suppose with the Irish, and the few Spaniards and Portugese, go to an other part of the ship. Some say a few rosarys, but mostly we would just talk among ourselves.

One day when he was visiting the sick the Reverend says "Mr Baptiste I would like to invite you to attend our devine service on the marrow".  I asked did he not think this was improper, since I was a Catholic.  He says " No, if you would just refrain from making the sign of the cross- so that none would be offended- I would very much appreciate if you would attend". So I have gone that day and every time since. I find if I cross myself quickly after a prayer none seem to notice. Sometimes the Reverend will read a sermon from some other Reverend, but most often he speaks his own words. I have learned a great deal about prodestants. They believe they may pray directly to God without the intercession of a Priest, Saint or Reverend. This seems strange to me for a people who would never even think to speak to the Captain unless summoned or spoken to first- and how much greater is God that the Captain- and yet they may call for his attention as they wish?

This also seems to me very much like the ideas shouted by those in France before the Terror- that none should be held above another and such- before they murdered everyone more learned and wealthy than themselves. I wish I could talk about this with someone, but of course there is none that I could. My friend Apple perhaps. 

Yesterday the Reverend says to me "Mr Baptiste I appreciate that you have been so regular in attending divine services" and I say that I find them very interesting- which is true. He says to me "Seeing  you there each time reminds me to pray for your conversion" he says this with a smile, so I think he means it for a jest. As I said I like him very well.

I have now written my self out for the moment. I pray that this war will end and I will be with you and the boys soon, 

Ever your faithful husband, 

Baptiste