McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, December 23, 1937, Image 3
McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, S. C„ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1937
T HERE was not to be any
Christmas tree at the little
charch at the head of Smoke
Creek that year; and of the several
families who lived there, not more
than half were expecting Santa
Ohms. The dark days hadjeft the
dismal little valley or hollow'evoa-
mere gloomy than it had been in
better years, when the mines across
the ridge in the next hollow gave
some employment to the heads of
the families of Smoke Creek.
. Jim Knox, who lived at the very
head of the stream, was perhaps
He Noticed Something Like a bard
Tacked on Hathway’s Door.
the most unhappy of all in the
little "settlement.” His wife and
only child, a son of seven, had died,
and his nearest neighbor was Joe
Hathway, a bitter enemy with whom
he had had many difficulties. So
that lonely night of Christmas eve
as Jim sat before the open wood
fire, with the light of blazing hick
ory logs his only company, he was
not without fear for his own safety—
he knew Joe Hathway had threat
ened his life.
As he sat dreaming his eyes hap
pened to rest upon his rifle standing
in the comer of the log room. "That
gun or Joe Hathway’s will some
day tell the tale,” he said to him
self. He meant that one day, like
so many others down the lonesome
stream, either he or Joe would go
—and using a common mountain ex
pression, "with his boots on.” He
did not care—life had come to mean
but little for him.
While Jim was thus dreaming,
Joe Hathway sat in another log
cabin but a few yards down the
stream. By chance Joe’s attention
was called to a book on a shelf.
The school teacher had given it to
his daughter who had died from
the epidemic on the creek. The title
appealed to him—"The Christmas
Carol.” He took the book and be
gan to read. Page after page and
chapter after chapter, he read on.
It was the first book Joe had ever
read. It filled him with new visions
and new ways of thinking. He read
on till midnight and had been so
impressed that he decided to read a
chapter from the Bible before going
to bod. By mere accident the chap
ter was one on the birth at Bethle
hem. Its teaching overpowered him
—he had found the more abundant
life.
• • •
On Christmas morning when Jim
Knox went out to the spring for a
pail of water he noticed something
like a card tacked on Joe Hath
way’s door. He saw no smoke from
the chimney. Taking in the water,
cautiously he approached Joe’s cab
in door, and read the note which
said:
“Dear Jim: You will find me
gpne. I was reading some last night
in ‘The Christmas Carol’ and in
the Bible. I read that verse that
told of peace and good will to man.
Said to myself, ‘My family is all
gone—the last was Mary. She left
the book to get me on the right
track. There’s nothing in this hol
low for me any more. Maybe I can
find work by New Year’s over on
Cedar Creek’ You and I never could
get along. So to make things better
for us both hereafter I am leaving
at daybreak. And Jim as I say
‘Good-tw*,’ I also wish to say,
‘Peace on earth good will to men.’ ”
And as another result of "The
Christmas Carol” two mountaineers
were better men, and though they
had no Christmas cards or presents,
and no holiday programs, the pines
on the hillsides seemed a bit green
er and the music of the streams
seemed sweeter.
© Western Newspaper Union.
Boxing Day Is Time for
Making Christmas Gifts
HP HE first weekday after Christ-
mas, Boxing day, is a legal and
bank holiday in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland but not in Scot
land. This is the day on which
"Christmas boxes” or gifts are ex
pected by, and given to, errand
boys, servants, letter carriers, etc.,
observes a writer in the Detroit
News.
The name "Christmas box” is
often applied there to the ordinary
gift at this season of the year, apart
from this usage. References to the
"apprentice’s box” and "butler’s
box” as far back as the Sixteenth
century indicate that these gratui
ties were at one time placed in an
earthenware box, which could be
opened on Boxing day only by
breaking it. It appears also that
the early church had alms-boxes
which were opened only on that
date.
Chambers’ Book of Days states
that the institution of "Christmas
boxes” evidently is akin to that of
New Year’s gifts and, like it, has
descended from the times of the an
cient Romans who at the season of
the Saturnalia, practiced universal
ly the custom of giving and receiv
ing presents.
Bells of
Christmas;
T OM MADSEN sat beside the
fireplace and gazed moodily at
the blazing logs, as the sparks
spiraled upward. Outside flakes of
snow beat against the window pane
to the chime of the church bells
ringing peace and good will to all
the earth. '
"Peace,” Tom muttered. "Was
there such a thing on earth? Not
for him, anyway.” He had staked
everything on his boy. Been both
father and mother to him—given
him the advantage of the best
schools, with a law partnership
waiting for him in his own office;)
and what did he get? "Sorry to
disappoint you, Dad, but I don’t
seem to be cut out for law. Sally
and I want to find happiness in
our own way. I mean to buy the old
Wormley farm and Sally and I will
be married there, in our own home.
Dad, on Christmas eve.”
Young Tom had choked a bit as
he saw the look on his father’s face
—"I’m sorry, Dad; I do appreciate
all you’ve done for me, ‘but the
hand writes and moves on,’ and it’s
all settled. Be a good sport, Dad,
"I’m Sorry, Dad; I Do Appreciate
All You’ve Done for Me.”
and come to our wedding and give
us your blessing.” But he had
turned on his boy. "Never!” he
cried. "See my son married to a
cheap dancer; a common”—Young
Tom’s face was white. "Stop, Dad,
or I might forget you are my fath
er”—and he had rushed out of the
house.
That had been three long months
ago. An eternity for him. He had
been too hasty; had been governed
by his prejudices. One couldn’t
measure the present generation by
the one of his day. Tom, Jr., was
no fool; he should have trusted him
to do the right thing; what right
had he to interfere; to say how any
life should be lived?
Suddenly he wanted to have a
share in the joyfulness. He reached
for his hat, but remembered it was
too late for shopping, but there was
his check book. What if Tom re
fused his tardy offering? The eager*
look died. There was a loud ringing
of the door bell and the sound of
rushing feet—the door was flung
open. There was Tom, looking just
like he used to when he came to
him for comfort. "Dad, we just
have to have you. Sally sent me to
bring you. It’s Christmas.” Tom,
Sr., held out his arms. "We won’t
disappoint Sally, son.”
© Western Newspaper Union.
WOTWWW,. WWW wS9
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
chool Lesson
By REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST,
Dean of the Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.
© Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for January 2
THE GOSPEL OF MARK:
A PREVIEW
LESSON TEXT—Mark 10:35-45.
GOLDEN TEXT—And whosoever of you
will be the chiefest, shall be the servant of
all.—Mark 10:44.
PRIMARY TOPIC—What Two Brothers
AclfoH Taciiq
JUNIOR TOPIC—Who Are the Great?
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC—
A Look at the Gospel of Mark.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC—
Mark’s Gospel: Author. Origin, Theme.
Beginning a New Year is always
a thrilling experience. The thought
of an unwritten record is a pleasant
one and at the same time most sol
emnizing. We must take heed, you
and I, what we write upon that page
which lies before us with the invit
ing caption—"1938.”
Next to having New Year’s day
fall on Sunday, it is most appropri
ate that the Lord’s day should come
between the holiday of yesterday
spent with our family and friends,
and the work-day on the morrow,
when we begin the year’s labors.
Today we tarry in God’s house to
pray and counsel together in the
light of his Holy Word regarding
the new year of grace and oppor
tunity.
We begin today a six-month study
of the Gospel of Mark, which pre
sents Christ as the Servant of God.
It is the Gospel of the mighty acts
of divine power, rather than of
words. It is characterized by
energy and spontaneity. It moves
rapidly. The characteristic words
are "straightway,” "immediately,”
and "forthwith,” which are used
more than forty times.
Before considering our lesson for
today, we would undoubtedly like to
"meet the author.” John Mark was
the son of the Mary in Jerusalem in
whose home was "the upper room”
where so many important events
took place. He was a cousin of
Barnabas and went with him and
Paul on the first missionary journey.
For some reason he lost heart and
went home, much to Paul’s distress.
Happily we find that the young man
redeemed himself in Paul’s estima
tion and was later well spoken of
by him (Col. 4:10, Phile. 24, and I
Tim. 4:11).
The lesson text chosen for our
"preview” of the Gospel is one
which shows the weakness of human
ambitions as contrasted with the
true spirit of humble service which
characterized Christ.
I. Selfish Ambition Rebuked (w.
35-41).
Ambition is not in itself wrong,
but when it becomes so extreme
that it projects self forward at the
expense of others it becomes selfish
and destructive. The fact that these
men were evidently earnest and
were, indeed, seeking a place with
the Lord in his glory does not
change the situation. They were
selfish even in dealing with holy
things.
James and John had asked for a
great honor in the kingdom, but had
not sought to share in the suffering
that preceded it.
Their own ignorance of what was
involved, their own weakness, their
observation of God’s hand in the
tarrying out of his own plans,
should have deterred them. There
is such a thing as holy boldness,
but there is also such a thing as
unholy temerity.
II. Sacrificial Service Defined
(w. 42-45).
Christianity is not organized after
the manner of secular government
(v. 42). Much of the mischief that
has come to pass in the church is
the result of "running the church”
as an organization, when it should
be allowed to develop as a living
organism.
Anyone who observes with even a
little care knows that the church of
Jesus Christ is hindered most seri
ously by the presence of pride and
selfish ambition. Some people will
not work unless they can rule. Their
money is withheld unless it buys for
them a dominating interest. The
pastor is persona non grata unless
he recognizes the desires of the
"right” people. None of these things
are done as obviously as our words
would suggest. There is much care
ful “fixing” and "wire-pulling” be
hind the scenes. But it amounts to
exactly the same thing, and it is
all entirely foreign to the spirit of
Christ.
Are there then no Christians who
humbly serve the Lord? Yes, praise
his name, there are many, and wher
ever they are found they are the salt
of the earth. God uses and blesses
them to his own glory. They may
not be (and often are not) in "posi
tions of leadership,” but they are
actually the leaders of the church in
its true work on the earth.
Man
Man is by nature weak; he is
born in and to a state of depend
ence; he therefore naturally seeks
and looks about for help.
Avoid Becoming Stale
I have lived to know that the se
cret of happiness is never to allow
your energies to stagnate.—Adam
Clarke.
Success
There is no road to success but
through a clear strong purpose.
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A Dressing Table Skirt With Corded Shirrings
'T'HIS dressing table has a
curved front and hinged arms
on which to mount the skirt so
that it can be opened to permit
access to the drawer. To mount
the skirt it must first be sewed to
a band of covered buckram. Cut
the buckram in a strip 2% inches
wide. Cover it with a straight
piece of material as shown here
at B.
Make the heading at the top of
the skirt just the depth of the
thickness of the table edge so that
it will cover the edge of the table
when the arms are closed. Use V\-
inch cable cord for the shirring.
This is sewed to a safety pin and
run through tucks stitched in the
material as shown here at C.
The top of the ruffle is also
shirred with cords. When the shir
rings are all finished, sew the top
of the skirt to the covered buck
ram strip as shown at D and then
thumb tack it in place as at A.
Every Homemaker should have
a copy of Mrs. Spears’ new book,
SEWING. Forty-eight pages of
step-by-step directions for making
slipcovers and dressing tables;)
restoring and upholstering chairs,
couches; making curtains for ev
ery type of room and purpose.,
Making lampshades, rugs, otto
mans and other useful articles for (
the home. Readers wishing a copy
should send name and address,
enclosing 25 cents, to Mrs. Spears,
210 South Desplaines St., Chicago,
Illinois.
rmw\
.Ask Me .Another
% A General Quia
ME—1
AROUND
THE HOUSE
Salt and Pepper Shaker.—A
large shaker containing six parts
salt to one part pepper and kept
on the stove will save steps when
seasoning cooking foods.
• • •
Preventing Rust in Oven.—After
using the oven, leave the oven door
wide open, to allow it to cool down
thoroughly. This allows all mois
ture to escape and prevents rust.
* • • '
Drying Silk Hose.—Never hang
silk hose over the radiator or next
to any hot surface.
• • •
f
Lining a Coat.—When lining a
coat, put the coat on inside out.
Have the lining all ready stitched
up, and slip it over the coat. It
will fall into position naturally.
Pin it in place, and finish in the
usual way.
• • •
Watch Your Step.—Painting the
bottom step of the cellar stairs
white makes it more conspicuous
and often helps to prevent acci
dents.
• • •
Sliding Dresser Drawers.—Rub
bing a candle stub or wax along
the sliding edges of dresser
drawers will make them move in
and out much more easily, even
when heavily loaded.
1. How many bachelor Presi»-
dents has the United States had?
2. What does the abbreviation
"non sec” stand for?
3. How does a twelve-year-old
dog correspond to age in a human
being?
4. What is wind?
5. Who was the Greek cynic phi
losopher who lived in a tub?
6. What is the procedure when
a bank certifies a check?
7. What was the last federal
territory to be admitted into tha
Union as a state?
Answers
1. Two—James Buchanan and
Grover Cleveland, but Cleveland
was married while he was in the
Presidential office.
2. Non sequitur (it does not fol
low).
3. A dog twelve years old is as
old as a man at eighty-four.
4. Air naturally and horizontally
in motion with a certain degree
of velocity.
5. Diogenes.
6. It withdraws the amount of
the check from the drawer’s ac
count, and holds it for the purpose
of paying the cheok which it
guarantees.
7. Arizona.
What a difference good bowel
habits can make! To keep food
wastes soft and moving, many
doctors recommend Nujol.
INSIST ON GENUINE NUJOL
Oo(ir.X9S7. SUnoo laa.
CHEW LONG BILL NAVY TOBACCO
LIFE’S LIKE THAT
By Fred Neher
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