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THE WATEREE MESSENGER Published Every Tuesday by l.'H AS. W. BIRCHMORE, Prop. Subscription $1.50 A 'Year in Advance Kntered a? Second Class Matter at the Postoffice at Camden. 3. C. Tuesday, September 27, 1927 / . 1 WHY MAKE PRESENTMENTS? We sometimes wonder why the grand juries make presentments to the courts. We know of course that (hey .pass on bills handed them by the ff.licitors, and where they find vrue hills the cases are docketed for trial. That part of their work may be class es as routine and is all right in its vuy, but at the conclusion of their work they make a "presentment" to the cour?. And this is what we are ?asking about. At the convening of court the presiding judge delivers his charge to the grand jury, impressing upon them their great resposibility, ni.d pointing out in some instances Iheir duties. They are Rome times tdd that their duties are so broad ti at they may inspect the public schools tand see whether or not they are being properly conducted. They arc to examine the various county of fices and see that the officers are do ing their duties. They are to report conditions of the roads, public build ings, including the court house and jails. They have supervision over the chain gangs. In fact they have a wonderful scope of duties and re sponsibilities. We would be glad if some able judge would attempt to de fine definitely the duties of the grand juries, and point out the law that bo stows authority upon them to see that each oftheir recommendation arc carried out. About as little attention is paid to a presentment of a grand jury as anything we know of, and for a verification of this statement just look up any presentment which con tains a recommendation and then see if it was carried out. Court will soon convene in this county, and the usual presentment will be made of course, but watch if the recommendations arc paid any attention to, as good and wholesmoe {is many of them really are. We are not saying anything here with a view of reflecting upon grand juries at all, for as a rule they are capable men and among our best citizens, but why have the judge to tell them what their duties are and when they proceed along that line, no attention is paid to their recommenda tions ? Why not let them go through with their routine work of finding true bills or no bills, and then retire? It should be a useful body of men, and we have no doubt these desire to do their full duty, and their recom mendations should be given consider ation at least. It may be, and occas ? ionally we believe it is true, that some particular matter is called to the at tention of the court, and that /part of the presentment is furnished the of ficer or officers who are the proper ones to take taction, but it is the ex ception and not the rule that the grand jury "recommendations" are paid any attention to. A GROUNDLESS II)OISYNCKAC\ Herbert Hoover proposes a question very pertinent to tho time, when he says: "I often wonder why it is that insurance must be secured by solici tation." It is a peculiar fact that, with the exception of fire insurance, practical ly everyone has to be "sold" by the ability and tenacity of the agont, ra ther than by their own wish to rur_ chfo an indispensable commodity. Yet the hazards of dewth, accident, liability, and the rest are every bit as imminent as the chance of fire, perhaps more so. This idiosyncracy of entire races of people, to "dodge" the insurance seller, is groundless an 1 foolish. It Hns gone to the extent where insurance selling is the basis for numberless jokes. But the humo" quickly reacts on the joker when dieB leaving a penniless family, or injured, or has his business wiped ori by court judgment. Persons will eventually realize that they should give^?very assistance to ward furtteria(f(\vthing so entirely for their^Bwty amNybenefit. And when that (wtei to pasvtnore people will come to \he insuran^ dealer's office, instoad o?^j^iny flo/ a\okl him in theirs. ANOTHER WIDOW ACOUI^KD Mrs. Belle McSwain, of Union, who -vvtaw char god with the murdwr of her husband, David McSwain,' whose body ?was found in a canal last March, was Acquitted very promptly in general sens|ons couft last weok nfter the ' case reached the jury. When the body of her husband was found de tective Rodgers was put on the case and a warrant issued for the widow. Only recently in Greenville Mrs. Ethel Willis was acquitted, along with the Sheriff's deputy for the murdeir of Sheriff Sam Willis. Detective Rod jTtri investigated this case also. He evidently thought that he had suffi-r ciont evidence to issue warrants for thesfe widows, but notwithstanding ih:s the juries hearing the cases ac quitted them. Each case attracted considerable attention, especially the Willis case. Able lawyers were en gaged on both sides, and the costs mounted up to a considerable sum. . A WORTH WHILE SERVICE The Child Placing Bureau is en W'ged in a reul worth-while service to scores of helpless little ones in our slate. Mrs. W. C. Cath: \- of Co lumbia, who supervises t ?? work is tkeply interested in it, ar.u has oth (?r3 with her who look after the many 'otails. We have discussed with Mrs C.'.thoart this work on several occas :ons, and have been impressed with her great earnestness and the very u.pable manner in which she hand a difficult task. Take a helpless ' .tie child, unable to csire for itself -ni with no parents to care for it, :..id this bureau steps in and does a lire work for the child in seeing that I is placed in the right kind of home, j 'he law giving to the bureau the cus '.i dy of the child. It is a great ser- j ze this branch of our state govern- | vent is rendering, and the people x>f I /e State should acquaint themselves ' th it. Like ninny other worthy or- j ? mi'/ations it is more or less hamper v.l in its work by lack of sufficient. Vitids. It takes money to carry on j ?uch an important work. We are not | i -? familiar with its details as we ould like to be so that we could 'f.-tter acquaint our readers with just he character of work that is being lone but we do know enough about it to know that it is very important and '.he newspapers of the state could render a real service by bringing this work to the notice of their readers from time to time and the ladies in terested in it would certainly appe late having the publicity that is r.oeded so th<at the people of the state vould become familiar with it. CHIMES IN HIGH PLACES The newspapers of the country are clling of the crimes committed by those in high places. A few days ago be mayor of Indianapolis was con victed of corrupt practices and given ?> jail sentence of thirty days .and a fine of $1,000. Only recently the Gov. ovnor of Indiana was paroled form the federal prison, he having: been jr.ven a sentence of ten years. Many others prominent in public life have been bofore the courts on various charges, and jn n number of instances convictions were had. After they get behind prison bars influential friends (begin to work for their release, and |nre sometimes successful. It is a great thing to have men in office who are clean and incorruptible; it is a culamity to have men who are cor rupt ?<nd resort to corrupt practices to obtain office. In many instances the sentences are so light that the punishment is not commensurate with the enormity of the crimes com mitted. All corrupt politicians as well as others who hold responsible positions should be forced to stand aside. Cor rupt practice destroys confidence. A, BABY MIX-UP In a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. Sam Smith gave birth to a bnby, and was told by the nurse that it was a boy. The baby was named George and the mother and father were :*e_ jolcing over the stranger being a boy, for ,they wanted a boy biby, several girls having previously been born to them. Four weeks later Mrs. Smith found herself in possession of a girl baby, and she became distressed oyer the mix-up of babie-i. Experts were brought into the ca?e to help unravel the situation and the courts were al so appealed to and finally the baby girl was declared legally the baby of Mrs. Smith. The (parents finally nf ter the court's decision returned to the hospital and took charge of the girl baby, taking it home, the husb and saying: "It was the sporting thing to do ? to take the baby girl. We brought her home and we'll keep her I ?a fid take care of her. We haven't thought anything about nnming her." Then parents while t.hey have taken the girl baby home are still in doubt as to whether or not it is their baby, and perhaps always will doubt it un less as the baby develops nome dis tinctive family resemblance to patisfy them. It was an unfortu nate occurence and has attracted much attention and genuine sympa_ thy for the parents. THE SMALL NEWSPAPER f The spirit oi the small weekly news paper published in towns of from 100 to 1,000 population but really fur nishing rural neighborhood of from 500 to 2,000 population, is expressed . by the Amity, Oregon, Standard in j itr slogan, "Why roam?" Make Am-', Ity yotir home." The small local paper* a four-nage j folio, a nix-page five-column p?3per, dr > nn night-page five-column patent In- ] ?Me, properly conducted, when meas- \ s ured in influence, probably " exerts greater itower in the community, it serves than any other form of publi cation. V. Such newspapers become vety pro fitable when they. confine themselves to service of the homes in that com munity, giving all the little local per sonal items of the community and taking an interest in" the Bmaller so | cial and industrial affairs lik,e the gasoline woodsaw, the little, chicken farms, the locul creamery, the country ! churches and other community activ ties. There are from two to five of these smaller-sized weekly papers in prac j tically every county in the 48 states, I and the editor ? whether man or wom (an ? exerts an influence in local and state affairs that is incomparably j greater with subscribers than that of {the large metropolitan press with its readers. The newspaper above mentioned, for the issue of August 26, had 136 items of local, county, and state news, aH of intense interest to the commun ity it serves, and read in all the homes in its territory for its con tents which are supplied by no other newspaper. SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON October 2, 1927 ELIJAH ON MT. CARMEL | Lesson Text ? I Kings 18:17-39 ! Burdened over the apostate condi it'on of the people, the prophet Elijah I had been led to pray that rain might be withheld, as a means of bringing (Israel tb their knees. The chapter | for today shows something of how i this preparatory work had been ac complished in the hearts of king and reople. They had gone through a fearful experience. They began to realize that it was the God of their fathers, j: nd not Raal, who incontesta,bly and absolutely controlled the clouds of heaven. The thoughtful among the people evidently had some realization < of the grave offense of Israel against the living God. They saw that their protracted suffering was the conse quence of departure from the true God. i King Ahab, and his court too, had J shared in some of the terrible expe iriences. His search throughout the J 'and for Elijah, the man of God. 'shows that ho had been doing some 'thinking. He at least had a feeling that the drought was due to the pro phet's prayers, and -would have laid murderous hands on him, could he have found him. But the search had '>een in vain. Meanwhile all the pro phet's words continued to come true, i Three years and a half had elapsed ' ince Elijah's startling prediction to Ahab. God'B time to send rain had come, therefore, Elijah is bidden to and show himself to Ahab. There was one godly man in Ahab's court? Obadiah. To save the remnant of the King's horses and mules, Ahab di rected Obadiah to search through one half of the land for grass, while the king himself took the other half. Soon after the parting of Obadiah from Ahab, he came upon Elijah. That was no accident. We see such * re-arranged providences brought a bout in the almost everyday meeting of men* It is God's purpose curried out in actual events, and no thinking man can doubt it. Well did Obadiah know the king's intense desire to lay hand on Elijah. This he declared to the prophet. Eli jah informed him of the purposo to show himself immediately to the king (v. 15). "So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah" (v. 10). The meeting 6f the fal^se-hearted king and the true-hearted prophet soon took place. The guilty Ahab dared to asffume the side of right in charging evil upon the prophet. "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" he asks. His question shows that all e\ents of three years had not humbled his heart in the least. He was a thoroughly self-willed man. T??i t Elijah was no reed blown by the wind. He -also had a will, and it wits reinforced by divine power. In the name of God, he hurled back the infamous charge! "I have not trou bled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the I.ord and fol lowed Baalim" (v. IK). Ahab was' the real Achan in the camp, the real troubler of Israel. ? Where are the men today who dare to deal with these royal sinners? Sam uel rebuked Saul; Nathan rebuked David; John rebuked Herod; Paul re buked Felix. Do we fear to denounce sin in high places, Note how cona cious guilt sealed the lips of Ahab. Not n word could he utter. There was > nothing to do but liiten silently to the ( command that followed. Without a J word, he proceeded to obov it. Tip was tol<l to eonvorte nil Inraol i1. Cnrmol (v. 10). All the klolatrouR prophets were to ho there also. So ;onvinced was Ahab that Elijah wan , the vicegerent of the King of -Kings, that he carried out Elijah's orders as though the prophet were sovereign and he the subject. Now for a Bhow-down, These peo ple must be turned hack to God. Some j thing must be done to stir these slug gish souls. EJijah meets them with a sharp question and charge:? "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him? if Baal, then follow him" (v. 21). They were silent. It was a confess ion of the truth of the rebuke. * Elijah pioposed a method of decision. If they wore tottering between two o p'niorjs, he (vould?show them some thing that would make them get off the fence, on one side or the other. Sacrifice was a rite common to ail rt ligions. It was at first divinely in stituted as the great symbol of ex piation. False religions nntl ??opietl it because of the awe attached to it, b it had cast aside its true leaning! Elijah appealed to the ordeal of sac i..ice. Let there be an appeal to t'.eir respective deities, "and the God t!at answereth by fire, let Him be Cod" (v. 24). ? In former days Jehovah had thus '? stifled His acceptance of the sacri fices of Moses, Gideon, David and olomon. Baal was supposed to be ? sun god, with sovereign control < -er all natural elements and forces, would be an easy thin# for Baal send dow" ^re, if claims of he priests were true. Whether the priests liked the propostion or not, the eople saw the reasonableness of 'the 1 mposal. Ahab was silenced. A dramatic scene it was! Baal paid >o attention to the blood-invoking j . ower of his own priests. As their r nving intensified into mania, Elijah j answered them witn lofty defiance j :? nd withering sarcasm (vs. 28-29). (Then followed the offering of Elijah, I ???ade in calm, sublime simplicity. Baal's prophets had been given ev ,<ry advantage. They could not have ,:sked for more favorable eircum ? tances. "There was no voice, nor , ny that answered" (v,26) even when I he sun was hottest. All thia is not ; '? thing Of the past. What strange j -enes today tare, by some people, call ?d worship! Millions still are in idol ? Itry. Millions still pray, though not ' > the personal, loving Heavenly Fa ther, and there is no voice in the pit i 1-' '8s sky. Othe^ false prophets we have, who, X tht?y do ?ot bow to Baal, point * > nature as the only god there is, or ? >y to enthrone humanity. In maga : ;ne articles they cry aloud. They >:0k of social salvation through thei'r '. if. ? toll ess religions. For centuries the world has waited to see the descent jjof fire upon those altiars, but no fire comes, and society goes on unrenew ed. V Meanwhile, the world sees humble (men and women, here and there, upon j whom a divine fire descends in an !*?(*? to prayer- Those w^o worship .the true God through Jesus Christ aiv seen to have the flame of Christ inn love burning in their hearts, and ? re s a warmth of Christian zeal , found in the Church of Christ, not to t><' found anywhere else. fan there be any doubt as to which < : lipany call upon the true God 9 In .'i in pie, quiet, intelligent manner' Eli ca,,1ed uP?n God. He spoke to a personal God. He asked something f finite, and asked according to ; > Go"' "Lct il b thdu art God, ami that I am thy ^ or van t and have dohe these things at by word. God could not but honor rruch earnestness and such childlike ' uith. The fire fell. "It waa Klij?h's pra ' r ?ayS John Poster, "convertevl anil Z T flame'" The PooPlo bow. "emselvea to earth and cried :"Tho -ord, He is God" (v. 89). ( The modern reproduction of the 3ft of Oirmel may be witnessed in P?worlessncss of all schemes <?" ?o-ial reformation and rational^] t?r chings, m contrast with the. oF ( o-.pel which remains "the power of o-l unto salvation." Go<l still an ? w. rs by fire, for ,ur God is a con. .funung fire', Who ourns out sin and the souls of men aflame with 1 oly zeal and spiritual fervor. 1' nil road taxes have increnset 228 er cent since 1923, while dividends to Jtockholders have increased but 22 per cent during the wmo period. I.. I). /lilton Lost Cotton by Fire L. I). Hilton, local cotton and large' farmer, lost 10(5 bales of cotton of last year's production by fire Sunday niffht. Mr. Hilton had the cotton stored at his home on the east side of town, and is unalrie to account for the origin of the fire. The cotton was worth probably about $150 a bale at the prevailing price, the loss being covered by insurance. The price of Cotton being down at the time of its loss occasioned a considerable loss to Mr. HIlton.The Kershaw Era, j Farming, 1 iko Gaul, is divided 'nt<> |thre<' part*: noil building, ounlily yro duetion, intelligent marketing. Horn Lets Youth "Blow Off Steam" MORK comes out of a lioni rluui music. or in other words the ail vantages to the boy or girkwho plays in the school band or orchestra nfe not confined to the musical education and good times he gets out of doing it t.'ol lege presidents, professors and ?li rec ti rs of music, all attest to th?> far reaching profits which s'ich training v've the student. Out or i.">7 of such authorities co-operating in a survey made by the Conn Music Center, l.M specifically mentioned the character building quality of music study. Learn-' ilig to play an Instrument calls for Perseverance ; self-discipline, patience, poise are some of the stcling ?pt -il* it les it develops In line with t! -? Is ? * ? ? -?'??it of co-operation, of i. . : ? \ . . . 1 the learning to subm i!in:?te in terests f<>r lin- _ s:. i. e < f li e jmun which nituiy ;i hov or g "rl !??:* f??r the first time when in- Join* ti.e sd;oo; band or orchestra The cultural ad\ ant ages i ??? s \ ?? t -econd emphasis --t he abilitj ;o ? - 1 ? > 40i?d music as well n> the ??tl.rv at A little actual ?-\j crieiici- iii p ving gives the greatest endorsi.tii'liii;: <>f tin problem-- of (lie pi otc-sinjia! nciviclan and an appreciation of his genius. Ktptally valuable Is tin- vo -called men tal traiiiii vvhieli i ' ? in a ham' or orchesira ; ;i'. or?.,> the young sui (lt'H t . I'U'iir thiiiUim:. a<> iiiiuy, ?-< >11 cent ration, tjuick adaptability are some of (lie qualities which inuvi?* stimulates and whose elYerts are shown In oilier fields of endeavor. Improved health Is still another ad vantage, Induced hy i ? ? ! :i \ i n ii the n rves, improving the posiuce and ex punding the luni: capacity whieh vari ous t. pes of music study Involve Financial awards, too, are coming to the young musician who earns pneke; ie niey. opens a savings account or even earns his way through school hy playing or teaching some musical In strument. Speaking of the relation of music to lie: hh recon 1 1 \ , Senator lloynl S. lopehnd, formerly health commis sioner of \.w York ('i I y, said: "1 thild; there <?; n tie no deniit that edu cation in nueic ,"i!iN to the happiness and general welfare of the individual. The rhvthtn : < 1 1 ? I plea<ur:ilile emotions e\ i -i i ei j 1 1\ in^pirii',' nni-ie have their oi.'eet .111 the 1 1 ? ? : > ' ' i |! is#tlo| alone j the Increase of Inn: capacity from the | Mow i 1 1 u of a cortn t or other wind In i *t rinuont . hut It 1- tie- general sense of well ). ;n^ and' stimulation asso ci:ll|(l with I he en.l'O irfelit of llVllslc which has to do wiili is value. The purpose of e\ ei-i js i ? is i * i stimulate the net ion of the heart 1 Vasiirahlo seii ?'??t i n- w ill ao? oiiipli- h exactly the s.i ne re,..i:i ?? WILSE W. MARTIN HARNESS and SADDLK MAKER Wholesale l eather and Shoe Pindin^n Auto Ton Maker and Repairer iilbE DEALER 1 114-16-1% Hampton St. Phone 682i< COLUMBIAN'S. C. MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISEMENTS Valet Auto Strop Razor is the only razor that sharpens its own blades. It is a safety razor and Ktropping machinc combined. ? The stropping keeps each plade sharp as new for many shaves Stropping ? Shaving -Cleaning ? the blade remains in the ra zor. The simplest razor to use ? the most economical in blades ? by far the most efficient. ? Fot each years subscription paid in advance new or renew al ? to The Wateree Messenger we will give you one of these excellent razors. PIANO TUNING * LEWIS L. MOOKR All Work (j ti s* rsintccd TELKPIIONR 212 W CAMDEN. SOUTH CAROLINA MONEY TO |,()AN on improved farm property. do Loach & do Loach, ? Attorney at Law, 6 6 6 is a prescription lor Malaria, Chills and l ever, Dengue or hillicus 1 tAtr. It killH tho germs ? J. p. PICKETT, Al. D. * Physician <te Surgeon * Physiotherapeutic Treatment * * with Alpine Sunlight and Medical " * and Surgical Diathermy 4 * Office (,M'J Hroad Kit eet * * * * * ? ? *v K. E. STEVEN. 'ON. * Dent i it * Ciorker Hld'K, < aiuden, ?>. t * * -k * ?*??**? \\ E E K* E N ') EXCLUSION TICK ETS Now On Sftle EKIDAYS AND SATCRD \ TO MOUNTAIN AND SEASHORE RESOIO Oood Returning Tuesday Follow nit* ECONOMICAL R ECU EAT I ON I ? WEEK ENDS Enquire of Ticket Agents SOUTH ERN RAILWAY SYSTEM MONEY TO LOAN On improved city real estate at Ms per cent interest. Apply to 1 1 10 N k Y f-'AVAOE, JR., Attorney Crocker Ruilding. * * * ?? Y * Y- * * VOffice Rhone Res. Kimhnll House* Y- Wnl. 8198 Ivy 7700 * V- PRACTICE IN STATE AND * * U. S. COURTS * Y- 1IAYNE M. MATIIESON Y * Attorney and Counselor at Caw ?* * Suite .r?12 Peters Ruilding * * ATLANTA, OA. * *********