Today, June 11th, 2026 is the 162nd day of this year.
Thursday, June 11th, 2026. 5:31 PM.
Elder Ballou Meetinghouse Road
Early this morning I was sensing in my heart that my writing should come to an end.
It is becoming unclear.
Confused.
Mixed up.
But then a wonderful thought came to mind.
I just had to write it down.
The day before yesterday, I took
A Walk for the Ages
That’s what I mean about “becoming unclear.”
I mean:
What exactly is “a walk for the ages” ?
What is he talking about ?
That is what I thought of calling it as I was walking home from a long walk to East Woonsocket.
My first apartment was in East Woonsocket.
Or, maybe, I should write that my first apartment was on the western side of Mendon Road – in East Woonsocket.
For 13 years I lived there at 162 Papineau Avenue.
1971-1984
In that neighborhood where I lived for 13 years was a long road that went into Cumberland, Rhode Island – if you walked long enough up that way – Elder Ballou Meetinghouse Road.
And, in life, if you live long enough, and try to live your life according to the gospel, you may also find yourself transitioning from the natural to the spiritual. And, maybe, that transitioning is by the Lord – if you become born again – and He sends his Holy Spirit into your heart – the Spirit of truth and understanding – the Helper – the Counselor – the Comforter. [see John 14: 15 ESV].
This morning I was thinking of the initials of
Elder Ballou Meetinghouse Road
E.B.M.R
And noticed:
M.R.
Those are my initials.
Then I was wondering who E.B. might be – or become — in my imagination.
There is a writer named E.B. White . . .
I owned a book by him many years ago.
It was about writing.
I don’t know yet if he has a connection to this story.
If I keep walking on
Meetinghouse Road
Will I meet E.B. Whiite ?
Or, maybe . . .
The ghost of Elder Ballou ?
I imagine it would be a wonderful experience to meet the man that Elder Ballou Meetinghouse Road is named after. He must be a very special and spiritual man! Jesus said, “All are alive to God.” That’s why I speak of him, Elder Ballou, in the present tense. Jesus also said, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” I hope that when I pass on, I get to see and greet and talk with other people who have passed on – who were close to me in my earlier life; people of Sweet Avenue, for example. And, perhaps other people, too – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau.
Does E. stand for Eileen ?
Eileen means Light.
What could my imaginary Eileen’s last name be, I wondered ?
Or
Does E.B. stand for Ever Bright ?
Or
Ever Beautiful ?
Or
Ever Bountiful ?
Or
Ever Being ? –
As in Eternally Alive.
May Be Someday . . .
Elder Ballou Meetinghouse will be rebuilt ?
Maybe I’ll meet E.B. there
In
The Resurrected Meetinghouse of Elder Ballou . . .
And . . .
There is an historic cemetery right across the road from where that Meetinghouse used to be. I suppose many of the people who attended Elder Ballou’s Meetings are buried right there – across the road from where they met during the days of their lives on Earth.
When I was very young, I entered Elder Ballou Meetinghouse with family. I was so young, though, that I can’t recall what I saw inside that vacant Meetinghouse. I seem to remember that I felt a sense of quietness and peacefulness. And it was dark inside – no electricity – no light bulbs – nothing worldly. I understand, though, that it wasn’t like that during the Meetings – many years ago — when Elder Ballou was there and the congregation was listening to him speak.
As I was walking back from that walk on June 8th a sweet and sad song came to mind:
Mr. Bo Jangles
And the words:
“Eyes of Age.”
Mister Bo Jangles was said to be “the eyes of age.”
Made me think of the number 8 laying down and having two circles side-by-side –
Like two eyes.
Maybe he was 80
Or even
88.
Or
Maybe E.B. and M.R.
Are
8 and 8 = 88 – side-by-side they are.
I don’t know . . .
Just wondering . . . imagining . . .
Mr. Bojangles – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – [With Lyrics]
Mr. Bojangles – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – [With Lyrics]
The Meetinghouse was actually just beyond the border of Woonsocket —
In Cumberland, Rhode Island.
And Resurrection Cemetery is in Cumberland, Rhode Island – further up that road and turn left onto West Wrentham Road and you will see it.
And
Tower Hill Woods
Is
In
Cumberland, Rhode Island — further up Elder Ballou Meetinghouse Road – and take a right at the end – and then a left onto Tower Hill Road.
Both of those places are not too far away from Elder Ballou Meetinghouse.
The idea of crossing the border – from Woonsocket into Cumberland — reminded me of a song about “crossing over” —
James Taylor The Water Is Wide
James Taylor The Water Is Wide
“So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” -John 10: 7. ESV Study Bible.
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” -Jesus. John 10: 9. ESV.
Eileen the Second was born on 10/9 – October 9.
John 10-11. ESV
John 10-11 ESV – I Am the Good Shepherd – “Truly, – Bible Gateway
I was born in the 11th month – on the 14th day.
The water is wide – arr. Mark Hayes
The water is wide – arr. Mark Hayes
Evergreen – Susan Jacks HD
Westlife – I Have a Dream (Official Video)
Westlife – I Have a Dream (Official Video) – YouTube
We need more than a beautiful dream . . .
We need True God
“With God all things are possible.”
He Is Our Almighty Savior.
If we truly believe in Him . . .
“Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” -Zechariah 4:6-7. ESV Study Bible.
June 11, 2026. 12:42 AM.
These days, I always wake up sometime after midnight and am compelled to get out of bed for several hours. I sit down and have tea. And as I sip the tea, I get ideas and often turn on the computer and write about those ideas.
This time, I was wondering who E.B. might be.
And then I opened my Open Bible –
Which has something at the beginning called Biblical Cyclopedic Index. As soon as I found the section that lists words that begin with B, I saw the word Bridegroom. Then, I thought of the word Eternal – as in:
Eternal Bridegroom.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Bridegroom of His Church.
The Church of True Believers —
True Believers in Our Lord and Savior the Son of God —
True Believers in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
E.B.M.R.
Eternal Bridegroom of Messiah’s Redeemed
The Great Open Air Meeting (KJV)
The Great Open Air Meeting (KJV) – Moments With The Book
open air – Moments With The Book
Because Jesus Loves You. No. Matter. What.
Because Jesus Loves You. No. Matter. What. – Moments With The Book
John 3:22-36. ESV
John 3:22-36 ESV – John the Baptist Exalts Christ – After – Bible Gateway
The Water Is Wide | James Taylor Karaoke
The Water Is Wide | James Taylor Karaoke
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” -Revelation 21: 1-4. ESV.
Revelation 21-22 ESV
Revelation 21-22 ESV – The New Heaven and the New Earth – Then – Bible Gateway
Search: 22 results found for “The Rapture” – Moments With The Book
Today is June 11, 2026.
Tomorrow will be Friday, June 12th.
And 56 years ago tomorrow the Class of 1970 graduated from Woonsocket High School.
It was a Friday.
We were 17 or 18 years old.
Now we are in our mid-70s.
After graduating we began transitioning to other things.
Some went to college.
Some got full-time jobs.
Some got married.
Some are now departed.
Some are still here.
Some are still on our “Walk for the Ages.”
I wonder if Elder Ballou ever read the following words to the congregation of the Meetinghouse:
Ephesians 1-6. ESV
Ephesians 1-6 ESV – Greeting – Paul, an apostle of Christ – Bible Gateway
ABBA – I Have A Dream (Official Lyric Video)
ABBA – I Have A Dream (Official Lyric Video)
“And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” -Jesus. [Mark 14: 36. ESV].
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” -Romans 8: 15-17. ESV Study Bible.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” -Galatians 4: 4-7. ESV Study Bible.
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” -Revelation 1: 1-3. ESV.
Revelation 1-14. ESV
Revelation 1-14 ESV – Prologue – The revelation of Jesus – Bible Gateway
Revelation 15-22. ESV
Revelation 15-22 ESV – The Seven Angels with Seven Plagues – Bible Gateway
Mark's Imaginings 