Family Lessons 91: Share of Elias

My sixth great-grandfather was Elias Toose, who was born back in 1725. Unusually for my forbears, he was a southerner, so he might have spent much of his time whining about the cold. That said, he was born at the delightfully named Honiton-on-Otter in temperate Devonshire. The town's Wikipedia page states-

The buildings of High Street are almost all Georgian, dating from after the two fires of 1747 and 1765

-so grandfather Elias would likely recognise modern Honiton as it is now pleased to call itself. Elias is an archaic rendering of the Biblical name Elijah with which we might be more familiar. Unfortunately, the sparse records and dry parish entries speak nothing of Elias’ spiritual life, yet I inherit his DNA, albeit a small fraction and in diluted form. In 2 Kings 2:9 we are told

that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

Elias Toose bequeathed me a 1/256^th share of his DNA and nothing of his possessions, which might have been few. You who have children and grandchildren, be sure to pass onto them an inheritance worth receiving. I mean not silverware and curtains, shares, stocks and bonds, but things of actual value. Pass on your sense of integrity and character, and most importantly of all, a knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the very meaning of life.

Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ Deut. 4:9-10

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay