The great hymns of the church are on the way out. They are not gone entirely, but they are going and in their place have come trite jingles that have more in common with contemporary advertising ditties than the psalms. The problem here is not so much the style of the music, though trite words fit best with trite tunes and harmonies. Rather it is with the content of the songs. The old hymns expressed the theology of the Bible in profound and perceptive ways and with winsome memorable language. Today’s songs are focused on ourselves. They reflect our shallow or nonexistent theology and do almost nothing to elevate our thoughts about God. Worst of all are songs that merely repeat a trite idea, word, or phrase over and over again. Songs like this are not worship, though they may give the church-goer a religious feeling. They are mantras, which belong more in a gathering of New Agers than among the worshiping people of God.

James Montgomery Boice

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Vegetables, Grains, Dairy, Eggs		Vegetable	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2	ts	Olive oil, extra-virgin
1	md	Bell pepper, red; seeded & finely chopped
1	md	Bell pepper, green; seeded & finely chopped
2		Garlic clove; peeled & minced
2	tb	Lime juice
1/4	ts	Sugar
1/4	ts	Salt
2	ts	Cilantro, fresh; finely chopped
1	c	Flour
1/2	c	Yellow cornmeal
1	ts	Sugar
3/4	ts	Baking powder
1/2	ts	Salt
1/2	ts	Cumin; ground
1/2	c	Milk
2	tb	Milk
2		Eggs
3/4	ts	Tabasco sauce
3	tb	Green chilies; canned, chopped, drained
1	c	Corn kernels; frozen, defrosted
1	ts	Butter, sweet; cut into slivers

INSTRUCTIONS

RELISH
CORN CAKES
RELISH: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add
the red and green peppers and the garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in the lime
juice, sugar, and salt. Cook 2 minutes, or until the juices are slightly
thickened.  Cool slightly and stir in the cilantro. Refrigerate until
completely chilled. CORN CAKES: Stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar,
baking powder, salt, and cumin. Stir in the milk, eggs, Tabasco, chilies,
and corn.  Let sit 15 minutes. In a large non-stick skillet set over
medium-high heat, melt a couple slivers of the butter. When pan is very
hot, spoon 2 tablespoons batter into the pan for each cake. Cook about 3
cakes at a time for about 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.
(The batter should make about 10 to 12 cakes.) Keep warm while cooking the
remaining cakes, adding a little butter to the pan before cooking each
batch. Serve the corn cakes with a little of the relish on top. Note:
Bottled salsa also can be served with the corn cakes in place of the
relish.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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