Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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> k \ ■ \ , / Thursday, December 24, 1953 THE CUNTON CHRONICLE *- Pace FWe THE CHRISTMAS RUSH Text: '‘And they came with haste ...” Lake 2:16 By CLARENCE T. NELSON, Minister, Augustana Lutheran Church. Washington, D. C., (in December Christian Herald) for eternal life? be m Gdd.” Steeping yourself in God’s Word in the pre-Christmas rush will put new springs of en thusiasm in your heart. Has not Jesus said, “But the water that I i will give him will become a spring ! of water within him bubbling up At the heart of the Christmai Gospel we find the Christmas rush! Shepherds are hastening to the manger. Loping camels bring kings with their gifts. Our own pell-mell rush toward December 25—which has again and again left us fagged and panting, nursing raw and ir ritable feelings within—isn’t so modern after all. There is one big difference. They were rushing to kneel and adore Christ. Our Christmas rush fits the decription of modern, pagan living: “A dizzy whirl around a central emptiness.” Modern baby snatchers have mocked us by tearing the swaddled Lord Jesus from His crib, leaving instead the ugly tar-baby of commercialism, indulgence of selfish whims, an endless proces sion of parties. From such Christ mas rush inevitably we will turn with old Scrooge’s exclamation, “Christmas, bah humbug!” using it to upset the wily enemy 1 personal Christmas rush will of Christmas and to meet our soul’s reach another peak as I re-hear, or deep need? In this true Christmas better still, share in producing, such rush let us follow shepherds and g rea t music as Handel’s Messiah, wise men to Bethlehem. I what a lift I can give my spirit Let us do it by allowing God’s as j j 0 j n the church choir in sing- Word to rush power and life into j n g *the choice Christmas music, our world-jaded hearts.. ^Sirtging carols will help too. This season let us stubbornly re- : Then, let us follow in the pilgrim- fuse to permit the increased tempo p B e thlehem by wisely plan- of living to interfere with a family nj our iving) ,. God ^ loved the quiet time During Advent you will world that He gave; , i$ the heart read the clear prophecies that fore- of Christmas. Our giving should fol- told His birth. This Christ of 300 j ow , ^- s p a tt ern . Old Testament foregleams cannot * j „ help then becoming to you the Son; So much of our Christmas giving of God, the Eternal Creator, the regrettably, is out of the feeling o One to whom all power is given in duty and spurred by a sense of Heaven and earth, the redeemer of competition rather than touched fallen man, the Saviour of sin-sick by love Such giving is unwise, souls, the judge of all the earth, • ves * atl ually sin ul. and the Light and Glory of Eternity. Indeed, I know people who, fear-' Don’t you love the word “enthus- ing a slip of memory, inventory iasm”! Personality becomes as dull their gifts and their approximate 1 value and make it their shopping McIntosh shoe shop a. e. McIntosh 14Jhi; v 7/„« ajt. 777 In fond remembrance we bring these greetings to you with the prayer that the richest heavenly blessings may rest with you on Christmas Day. MERRY CHRISTMAS — HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND EVERYONE EVERYWHERE Hallmark Shirt Manufacturing Corp. as dish water when this quality is Football has a strategy called: missing. The word is traced to the guide the next year. It is little more “reversing the field.” How about’ Latin word “endio,” meaning “to than pagan, this matching of gifts. ——— —__ Let’s give as Jesus gave. Let’s give to those who can’t give anthing in return. Let’s invite guests who can’t return the fav.or. Let’s be certain the Christ child is first on the Christmas list. He reaches for our gifts through our church and in our mission causes, j Wasn’t Christ given to all the ; world? ; Let’s make a new kind of Christ- f mas list. How about writing Sown the names of those people you csfn help—not financially, but in little ways that so often are forgotten” Such a list should read something like this: “I will give so-and-so through the year just twice as much kind ness as I gave her last year.” “I will put Mr. Larson and Miss Jones in touch with each other. Perhaps he has extra work in his office which she could do at home as she watches by her bed-bound mother. It would be a boost to her slender income.” “Mr. Johnson would enjoy read ing my magazines which I ordinar ily throw away. It will take some time to drop them by but I think Jesus would have me do it.” Do you get the idea? Aren’t there a few people you have been ne glecting because you have been so rushed and hurried, or because they don’t stimulate you mentally? Couldn’t you give these people the supreme Christmas gift: more of yourself? Traveling on a railroad train, a prosperous business man said to E.j Mitchell Hodges: “Would you like to know what I’m going to give my boy for Christmas?” “Yes,” sai'd Hodges, thinking ! what the costly present might well I be. The gentleman took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Hodges. On it was written the words: “To my dear son—I give you one hour of each week day, and two hours on my Sundays, to be yours as you want them, without I interference of any kind.’’ When asked how he had come j to the decision to give his boy that | kind of present, the father reluted i a story. A boy whom he had not seen for many years came to his office to ask for a loan. His face and bearing carried the unmistakable marks of idleness and dissipation. He was an out-and-out derelict. “Robert,” said the businessman in I amazement, “to see you like this! | And you with such a father!” Robert replied slowly. “I’ve often j heard that Dad was a fine man, but • I never knew him.” Is it any wonder that the busi- I nessman was determined that his 1 boy would have a chance to know | him? Such a gift as this will rush ! Christmas into your heart. | Finally, let us be sure to allow the true Christmas rush into our I hearts by putting Christ at the heart of our homes in this holy season. Before a single gift has had its j tinsel wrapping torn from it, hp\v 1 about gathering your family at the tree? Open that great gift, the Word, to the simple story according to St. Luke, and share in the read ing around the family circle. Every' ily Christmas tree hour will wear gift will be sweeter, and that fam- a heavenly halo. If your church is holding a Christmas service, at tend as a family. You have no idea what memories garnered at this Christmas service will mean to your children in later years. The letters B. C. and A. D. found after significant dates tell us that Christmas is the watershed of his tory. In which do you live? Before Christ—as though He never lived? Or is it truly for you A. D.—a year of our Lord—because your Christ mas rush brought you to Him? FINAL SETTLEMENT Take notice that op the 5th day of January, 1954, I ,will render a final account of my acts and doings as Executrix of the estate of James Rhett Sloan in the office of the Judge of Probate of Laurens Coun ty, at 10 o’clock a m. and on the same day will apply for a final dis charge from my trust as Executrix. Any person indebted to said es tate is notified and required to make payment on or before that date; and all persons having claims against said estate will present them on or before said date, duly proven, or be forever barred. BEATRICE BENNETT SLOAN. Executrix. Dec. 4, 1953 4p-Dec. 31 T. E. 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