The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, November 30, 1967, Image 15
V
Focus On Faith t
The Bugles'
Indistinct Sound
TOE CHQONJCLE, Clinton, S. C., Nov. 30, 1967—1
r
»
»
i
%
*
■ *
I !
I i
i
i
»■
#
r,
«r
By REV. A. L. BfXLER
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
“If the bugle gives an in
distinct sound, who will get
READY FOR BATTLE?”
Our time abounds in indis
tinct sounds.
“Bugles announced re
veille, time to get up. It was
the bugle that announced
chow time. It was the
,bugle that commanded
advance, that ordered the
charge, that - called for re
treat in battle, the retreat of
the colors, and sounded taps
when the day was done. With
buglers there was no place
for confusion. They were sup
posed to know the call to be
used, and to use that call in
response to a definite order.
Each call was definite, dis
tinct, and decisive, and those
trained under the sound of the
bugle were supposed to hear
and promptly obey.”
Life needs such ordering as
will make for organization,
unity, sure purpose, and or
dered progress. But confu
sion, uncertainty and fear are
much more inevidence. This
seems particularly to be true
in three specific spheres of
life the “sound of the trump
et should be positive and
clear.”
First, in the realm of gov
ernment. In this area I speak
more from the point of view
of an interested and con
cerned citizen. But the truth
is, I find it very difficult to
know what our government
is saying. I am bewildered as
I try to decide whether the
trumpet that is being sounded
is for the national good, or
merely for the advantage of
the administration, a chosen
few, or a political party.
It used to be that as
population centers multi
plied, crowding increased,
and society became more
complex, that rules of con
duct were tightened and res
trictions on individual rights
were molded to protect the
community as a whole.
But now it appears that the
courts of our land are follow
ing an opposite course — ad
ding to the rights of the in
dividual to do what he pleas
es, regardless of the effect
"that itTlnay have on the com
munity as a whole. So that
crimes are being committed
with the protection of the
law.
Does freedom mean that in
dividuals have the right to
do just anything without re
gard for the community?
Are we really to conclude
that the riots we have heard
and read about are caused by
poverty, lack of educational
opportunities, discrimination
and slums, deplorable as
these are? Have these not ex
isted in our world from time
immemorial? Although I do
not for one moment wish to
suggest that we should not
employ our very best efforts
to eliminate them, what I am
trying to say is that unless
there is clear trumpet call
from government leaders as
to the stupidity responsible
for riots that burn down
buildings, loot stores, and
destroy human lives, — a
trumpet call followed by
responsible action — we shall
have nothing but anarchy.
IN THE second place, it
seems to me that the trump
et sound on the part of the
Church has been uncertain
and indistinct. The Church
was established and organiz
ed by God to be His trumpet.
As long as the trumpet con
tinues to give an uncertain
sound who is going to prepare
himself to do something
about it?
We have a Book; and that
Book is our only source of the
Divine revelation. It is our
only authority for the
Church’s ‘ existance, for
the Church’s message,
and for the Church’s
mission. Accepting and
obeying its revelation is
our only hope for a better
world and a better day. That
Book has a great deal to say
about God as the Creator, the
Revealer of truth, as the
Sustainer of life, and the Re
deemer of men. It portrays
Him as a God of love and
power but it also depicts Him
as a God of justice. History
has known many instances
when God has acted in
judgement against His crea
tion.-
However, there is a sense
in which we must say that
our God is a helpless God, be
cause until such a time as the
cup of man’s sinfulness over
flows. (and God alone is the
Judge), He has left man with
the responsibility to MAIN
TAIN law and order. This is
a part of our having baan
created in His image - free,
responsible agents. If people
pie will not obey His
commandments, if people
will not emulate His ex
ample, if people will
not fulfill His purposes, if
people will not trust His
then there is nothing He can
jo about it until the cup of
His divine wrath has filled,
and He must act in judge
ment. Until then He must let
man make his own choices
and take the consequences.
ThF Church has been guilty
of sounding an indistinct blast
upon the trumpet. Its prim
ary tasft has always been and
still must be to call all men
■.o be reconciled to God. And
! cannot but believe that God
vill not look upon us in the
church as guiltless for our
neglect and failure to carry
out this great commission.
The Church has been guilty
of neglecting this her first
duty and has allowed herself
to become preoccupied with
secondary matters. I would
not for one moment mini
mize the importance of slum
clearance, of poverty and hun
ger, programs of better race
relations, and of war and
peace. The Church must stir
up the conscience of its mem
bership to the physical and
social needs of our world, so
that as individuals we might
be stirred into action. Like
the priest and the Levite we
have been guilty too often of
passing by on the other side.
However, these do not con
stitute the primary message
of the Church. I cannot help
but feel that those of us in
the pulpit who have encour
aged civil disobedience must
bear same responsibility for
the inexcusable riots occur
ring all over our nation. Had
we who constitute the Church
of Jesus Christ been faithful
and obedient in the proclama
tion of the gospel of Christ
to all men including the Ne
gro people in our back yards
and in the ghettos of our
cities, we would not now be
paying the awful price we are
having to pay.
AND THIS leads me quite
naturally toj my last point.
We, as Christians above all
the peoples of the world, are
supposed to hear and obey the
“trumpets” of God. In fact
we seem to have forgotten
that our personal lives are
supposed to be bugles, bugles
that say something to the so
ciety" in which we live and
through whom God wants to
say something to the whole
world. The tragedy of our
age might well be laid at
our door step because w'e
have refused to obey the
words of Jesus. We have
seen the plight of the unedu
cated Negro bound in his silly
superstitions and sin, and
instead of directing him to
the Cross of Christ, we have
turned our faces and smiled,
and permitted them to be
come the victims of other
philosophies and ideologies,
which in turn s have incited
them to riot and destruction.
There is a sense in which we
are reaping the consequences
of our sin of complacency and
neglect. May God have
mercy upon us and help us
tb redeem the time while it
is yet day.
I find it hard to make my
peace with much that is part
of modern life. I just cannot
help it. I cannot get used to
vulgarity, indecency, immo
rality, cheapness, lack of pa
triotism, disrespect for au
thority, and indifference to
God. And so I pray God that
a trumpet will be sounded
among us that no one can
ignore a trumpet that will call
us to battle, a trumpet that
will determine for us and. for
the future security of our
great land, its purity and its
progress, and in the end the
peace and freedom of the
world.
And I pray God that a clear
sounding of that trumpet shall
be heard and seen in the lives
of every one of us.
TELEVISION
SERVICE
WBTV
CN^m-OTTlI
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 30
Mike Douglas, 4:30 p.m.
Ricardo Montalban is co-host
for the week. Color.
Arthur Smith, 8 p.m.
The Crackerjacks present an
all-hymn program. Color.
Thursday Movie, 9 p.m.
"The Money Trap,” with
Glenn Ford, Elke Sommer, Rita
Hayworth. Color.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1
Freedom’s Finest Hour,
7:30 p.m.
Ronald Reagon narrates the
story of the American Revolu
tion. Color.
RONALD REAGAN
Gomer Pyle . . . USMC,
8:30 4 p.m.
Gomer is sold a $500 pearl
ring for $18. Color.
Friday Movie, 9 p.m.
“The Horizontal Lieutenant,”
with Paula Prentiss, Jim Hut
ton. Color.
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 2
My Three Sons, 8:30 p.m.
Katie's Aunt Cecile arrives in
town unexpectedly. Color.
Hogan’s Heroes, 9 p.m.
Hogan plans to wipe out Ger
many’s top military leaders.
Color.
Mannix, 10 p.m.
Mannix is hired to stop a
blackmail nmt Color.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER S
NFL FootUU, 1:30 p.m.
Double Header: Dallas Coir-
boys va. Baltimore Colts; Chi
cago Bears vs. San Francisco
49ers. Color.
The Tennessee
Ernie Ford
Special, 9 p.m.
Tennessee Er
nie Ford, Andy
Griffith, Danny
Thomas star.
Ernie Ford Color.
Mission: Impossible, 10 p.m.
The IMF must rescue the
captured leader of a small Bal
tic country. Color.
MONDAY. DECEMBER 4 ‘
Mike Douglas, 4:30 p.m.
Don Rickies is co-host for the
week Color.
Best of Hollywood, 7 p.m.
“The Girl He Left Behind”,
with Natalie Wood.
Carol Burnett, 10 p.m.
Guests are Jonathan Winters
and Barbara Eden. Color.
TUESDAY. DECEMBER 5
Daktari, 7:30 p.m.
Clarence hides in the jungle.
Color.
Southern Conference
Basketball, 8:30 p.m.
Davidson Wildcats vs. Fur
man Purple Paladins. Color.
. 1967 National Drivers Test,
10 p.m.
Audience participation with
emphasis on winter driving.
Color.
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 6
Theater Three, 7 p.m.
“Eight Iron Men.” with Lee
Marvin. Color.
CBS Playhouse, 9 p.m.
“Dear Friends,” with Patricia
Barry. James Daly, Rosemary
Harris. Anne Jackson, Hope
Lange. Pernell Roberts, Eli
Wn'laoe David Wayne. Colo
putting a caramel candy in a
;up of hot tea? It’s .excellent!
'Jot only does it give a little
.different taste to the tea, but
.t takes the place of the su
gar and cream which you or-
linarily add.
1968 CROPS — The general
variety recommendations for
1968 crops is now available
from the County Agents’ Of
fice. Several changes have
been made in the vegetable
area.
, CLEAN BURNERS—While
Tying things, turn those
hrow-away pie tins upside
down over the other burners
an your stove and it keeps
them clean. The tins are
much easier to clean than
the burners.
FIRES — The disastrous
fires in California should
be a warning to S. C. resi-
dents a$ the fall dry season
spreads over landscapes. Fire
Ik
more than 90 percent of the
forest fires are man caused.
NYLON NET — Nylon net
scrubs potatoes far better
than a potato brush. Nylon
net also can be used to make
a wonderful soap-saving bag
for those little pieces of soap.
This little soap bag scrubs
cleaner as well as being eas
ier to hold onto when taking
a shower than an ordinary
slippery cake of soap.
PECAN CROP — The 1967
pecan crop for the nations’
forecast is 208 million
pounds, 29 percent above last
year but eight percent less
than average.
v,'.'
?JLc^a
nnir;
wu 3TWii.
JOANNA; S. C.
18 Years Experience
Call 697-6931
SARARIES, WAGES
Wage and salary payments
to this country’s textile in
dustry employees are ap
proaching an annual rate of
$12 billion. They work in
paiBooi sviawqWqejsa 000‘fcS
in 45 state*. •
Winners In Last
Week's Give-Aways
\
MARY ROCHESTER
613 N. Broad St.
HUGH BALLARD
151 Pine St.
RONALD QUINN
804 Sloan St.
STEVE ELLEDGE
1008 Sloan St.
M. S. MARSE
609 Shands St.
RESSIE McKENZIE
200 Shands St.
DAVID BEATY
East Carolina Ave.
CARRIE BAGWELL
Peachtree St„ Lydia
BILLIE FINTZELL
R. F. D. No. 3, Clinton
ALBUREA HALL
R. F. D., Enoree
41 Pomly
Are Stocked
With Fish
By i. B. O’DELL
Work Unit Conservationist
Forty-one farm ponds in
Laurens County were stocked [
last week with Bluegill,
Redcar and Catfish. 60,000
fingerhngs were delivered to
these pond owners by the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Serv
ice from the Hatchery at
Orangeburg.
These farm ponds are be-
ng stocked as a part of a
complete soil and water con
servation plan prepared by
the landowners with assist
ance from the Soil Conserva
tion Service.
Dial Neighbors of near
Hurricane Church, Dick Bolt
of Trinity Ridge Section, and
Thomas Young in the Dun
can Creek area, planted
grass waterways on their
farms last week.
The waterways were plant
ed to fescue grass as part of
the water disposal measures
’n connection with terracing
of the fields. The agricultural
conservation Program is
f urnishing cost sharing as
sistance for these basic con
servation practices.
James and Horace Martin
of Gray Court had terraces
re-built on over 150 acres of
cropland last week. The
Laurens Soil Conservation
District’s motorgradcr was
used for this earth moving
job. Elmo Bramlett at Narnie
had terraces re-pulled on a
10 acre field that he is plant
ing in wheat this time.
■
Harold McClintock and Dr.
Paul Grier had farm ponds
built on their farms in the
Ora Section recently. They
followed plans and specifica
tions provided by the
Soil Conservation Service |
and ACP Cost-shared in the
construction cost.
Below Estimates
By M. L. OUTZ
County Agent
Farm income is off from es
timates of two months ago.
Laurens County farmers are
among those affected.
Weather has been the big
factor. I believe we have had
the most unusual year I have
ever seen. First of all came
the late cold spring. Farmers
failed to get a good stand of
cotton because of it and had
to plant over some as much
as twice. This w*s not only
expensive but threw the crop
late. Dry pockets through-out
the county, during the sum
mer, had its effect. Cotton
farmers had, what I thought
was a good crop, but late. This
late crop was pushed to come
through before frost. How
ever, an early frost came and
destroyed a fairly high per
centage. Naturally, this loss
was the profit.
The dry fall cut into the
soybean yield to quite an ex
tent. In spite of the fact that
a large quantity of soybeans
are being cut in the county,
the total yield is down due
to low rainfall this fail.
Cattle prices are down con
siderably from the expected.
Farmers were expecting 26 to
thirty cents for top calves,
yet they are bringing 24 to
26 cents per hundred weight.
Even the timber or pulp-
off tbit
gnmmer to an extent.
This has been a good corn
year for our farmers — and
what a difference that makes,
with corn comes livestock
feeding.
Dairying has also been good
this year. I suppose dairy
farmers had their best year.
Prices were good.
The average annual income
for Laurens County farmers
rung between six and seven
million dollars annually. This
figure will be up some due to
the soybean production and
poultry that we normally do
not have. There have been
approximately 60,000 laying
hens added this year and six
to eight thousand acres of
soybeans. This should boost
our Income quite a bit.
Timely Tips
HOT TEA — Ever tried records plainly show that
TAX PAYMENTS
Tax payments to state and
local government by the tex
tile industry in 1967 are esti
mated at $1,131 million. Fed
eral income tax payments by
textile companies during 1967
will be well over $800 mil
lion.
“After all I’ve done for
you!”
WE CAN DO MORE for
you with a free survey ol
your risks and insurance
policies. This will avoid
overlapping policies and
uninsured risks. Phone us
at 833-3829 for adequate
coverage at low cost.
W. S. Hatton
Insurance Agency
Phone 833-3829
SAFECO
INSURANCE
Want an extra closet
this winter?
Store your summer clothes with
us! Get acquainted with our newest ser
vice-winter storage for summer gar
ments. It offers all the features of cur
summer storage for winter... meticu
lous Sanitone drycleaning plus assured
care and protection until warm weather
comes again. Meanwhile, you can use the
extra closet space. Call us today about
cur summerwear box storage.
Sanitone
Certified Mastcr’Drydeaner
•YOUVE REAO ABOUT SANITONE IN LEADING FASHION MAGAZINES"
Sunshine Cleaners & Laundry
W. Florida St. — S. Broad St. Ext.
833-1492 — 833-1493
GORDON'
107 E. Main St. “Shoe* For The Entire Famliy”
833-0667
OFF
On All
Purchases
Matching
Bag -
To Our Friends and Customers-The True Spirit of the Holiday Sea
son Gives Us An Opportunity to Express Our Appreciation for the
Very Pleasant Association We Have Enjoyed With You During the
Four Years in Clinton-On This Occasion We Feel That the Best Ex
pression of Our Regards of Your
Friendly Patronage is to Offer a
10% Discount
From Today, Nov. 30th To Dec.
15th On All Purchases.
May We Extend To You Our
Best Wishes for Your Happiness
in the New Year!
• Life Stride • Citations
• Red Cross
• Calif. Cobblers • Cobbies
• Socialites
Johansen Eteinne Aigner
Edith Henry
\ . i ■. , •
John Romain
Buster Brown
For Children
Pavilia
Air Step
Acme and Wolverine
Boots and Work Shoes
10% oif
ON ALL PURCHASES