Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 4th April 2009

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend. 4th April 2009

Wot’s In A Name?

“Wot’s in a name?-- she sez . . . An' then she sighs,
An' clasps 'er little 'ands, an' rolls 'er eyes. “

Australians are familiar with these words and some could probably identify them as being from “The Sentimental Bloke” by CJ Dennis. I am not so much interested in the poem having read it a number of times but in the question “Wot’s in a name?”

A few years ago I read an extract from the Detroit News (March 28 04). It is an article by Froma Harris. She says that Americans are more and more choosing brand names of automobiles, perfumes, premium wines and designer clothes.

She reports:

In 2000, for example, 273 newborn boys were named Armani and 73 Aramis. As for the girls, there were 269 Chanels and 353 Lexuses. Most names pointed to luxury products, but not all. There were 55 boys named Chevy and 13 girls named Saran (plastic wrap brand).
[…]But perhaps other, more expected forces are pushing the trend, as well. After all, people thinking their children precious used to name them after jewels, such as Ruby, Pearl and Sapphire. It’s just one step removed to call a girl Tiffany after the whole jewellery store. […] 22 boys were named after Cartier, Tiffany’s posh competitor.
A big part of it may be the modern desire to give every child a unique name. For most of our history, the 50 most popular boys’ names covered more than half of newborn boys, Evans noted. Starting in the ’90s, it took more than 50 names to cover most boys.
And there are worse names than brand names. [...]One boy in Nebraska [is]named Lucifer. And other boys called Trivia, Surreal and Twinkle.
The traditionalists among us are not going to get used to this. The Puritans named daughters Hope, Faith or Charity with the wish that they would live up to those principles. That’s a far cry from Hyatt, Forum and Chevelle.

We are very used to different names. Some names appeal. Others maybe because of past associations have a certain odour about them. Names do matter in the course of our lives.
A now famous group of Australian Soldiers were called Desert Rats in the siege of Tobruk in Libya, Africa during the Second World War. The German propagandist Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) derided the troops as the "Rats of Tobruk", a term proudly embraced as an ironic compliment. The name was spat out as a curse but these heroic men who endured the deprivations of the time wear it like a badge of honour. The Australian War Memorial Museum has noted “At the unveiling of the Memorial in the Tobruk War Cemetery, the late Chester Wilmot, in a description of the ceremony, concluded by saying "Their real monument is their name and their most honoured resting place is in the grateful hearts of their fellow men". The Rats of Tobruk are men not only honoured in the mouldy and rarely opened pages of war history or in the memories of fellow soldiers but in the highest esteem of all Australians who care enough to pause and remember.
As Matthew records the triumphant entry of Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem, He tells of the large crowds throwing their cloaks and palm fonds on the ground to make a special path for him. They shouted “Praise to David’s Son! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise be to God!” (Matthew 21 9).

We read the whole city was thrown into uproar and the people asked “Who is he?” and the crowd answered “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

As I think about that question “Who is he” and the answer, I wonder if it was a question by those who genuinely wanted to know. Or was it some sort of rhythmic chant much the same as rallying unionists and protesting mobs will use “what do we want ? (insert here: their cause) …When do we want it? Now !!”

It is a question that must have caused many to think on that Palm Sunday. Who is he and what was he to them? Jesus on another occasion put the same question to his Disciples "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?" (Matthew 16.13).

It is interesting to look at the answers recorded in the next few verses and Jesus comment on their answer and how they had come to it.

14They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
15He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
17Jesus came back, "God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. (Matthew 16 The Message).

There are many names given to Jesus, in prophecy, by others, even by himself. His mother would call him Jesus because he would save His people from their sins. He would be called Emanuel meaning God is with us. Even on the cross, a sign stated who he was in three languages: “The King of the Jews”.

One of the comments which comes to my mind from the scenes of the cross where Jesus died is that simply stated in Mark’s gospel:

39When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, he said, "This has to be the Son of God!" (Mark 15 The Message).

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3888.mp3 ]

I know thee who thou art,
And what thy healing name;
For when my fainting heart
The burden nigh o'ercame,
I saw thy footprints on my road
Where lately passed the Son of God.

Thy name is joined with mine
By every human tie,
And my new name is thine,
A child of God am I;
And never more alone, since thou
Art on the road beside me now.

Beside thee as I walk,
I will delight in thee
In sweet communion talk
Of all thou art to me;
The beauty of thy face behold
And know thy mercies manifold.

Let nothing draw me back
Or turn my heart from thee,
But by the Calvary track
Bring me at last to see
The courts of God, that city fair,
And find my name is written there.
Author: Albert Orsborn (1886-1967)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 59
The Sentimental Bloke
by C. J. Dennis
Wot’s in a name?-- she sez . . . An' then she sighs,
An' clasps 'er little 'ands, an' rolls 'er eyes.
"A rose," she sez, "be any other name
Would smell the same.
Oh, w'erefore art you Romeo, young sir?
Chuck yer ole pot, an' change yer moniker!"

Doreen an' me, we bin to see a show--
The swell two-dollar touch. Bong tong, yeh know.
A chair apiece wiv velvit on the seat;
A slap-up treat.
The drarmer's writ be Shakespeare, years ago,
About a barmy goat called Romeo.

"Lady, be yonder moon I swear!" sez 'e.
An' then 'e climbs up on the balkiney;
An' there they smooge a treat, wiv pretty words
Like two love-birds.
I nudge Doreen. She whispers, "Ain't it grand!"
'Er eyes is shining an' I squeeze 'er 'and.

'Wot's in a name?" she sez. 'Struth, I dunno.
Billo is just as good as Romeo.
She may be Juli-er or Juli-et--
'E loves 'er yet.
If she's the tart 'e wants, then she's 'is queen,
Names never count . . . But ar, I like "Doreen!"

A sweeter, dearer sound I never 'eard;
Ther's music 'angs around that little word,
Doreen! . . . But wot was this I starts to say
About the play?
I'm off me beat. But when a bloke's in love
'Is thorts turns 'er way, like a 'omin' dove.

[ Continued elsewhere –
Anyone who wishes to enjoy the rest of the poem will find it at: http://www.write101.com/cjdennis.htm]

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