The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 12, 1968, Image 2
PAGE 2—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, Dec. 12, 1968
1218 College St., Newberry, S C. 29108
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
O. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner
Second-Class Postage Paid at Newberry, South Carolina
"Whatsoever Things
By DONALD E WILDMON
I F or those who enjoy inspirational reading: your minister, Sunday
School teacher, yourself. The perfect Christmas gift, only $2.95. Order
Mr Wildmon’s new book THOUGHTS WORTH THINKING from
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $2.00 per year in advance.
Six Months $1.25.
COMMENT
on
Men & Things
Hy .1. K. BREED IN
Thursday of last woek was
generally observed throughout
the nation as Thanksgiving day
—the custom which was begun
in the Plymouth Colony of
Massachusetts in 1021; it was
supposed to signify the grati
tude of the little colony for th(
good crops that they had just
enjoyed. Gov. William Brad
ford was making a special oc
casion, following the hardships
of 1620 and 1621.
We celebrate, as a day of
Thanksgiving, the 4th Thurs
day in November and there i. c
usually a proclamation pro
claiming national gratitude to
be celebrated the 4th Thursday.
So far as I know we are
about the only nation that has
such a day of thanks. Through
out the United States we cele
brate the day with feasts and
religious services.
I am not sure that the day
means more as a mere form
but in the early days of the
Plymouth Colony they had tlv
experience' of sharp winters ana
limited food supplies.
This great nation of ours
likes to give thanl to Jehovah
for his bounty. ' <>0 , likewise,
have occasion to ender thanks
although we have not know n
such hardships as came to the
Plymouth Colony.
Most of the colonists are said
to have left England for a short
stay in Holland hut returned to
England to set sail for the new
country.
The idea of a harsh season
in America seemed just a hit
odd because England has a
milder climate than the new
country.
We have enjoy'd the good
spirit and fellowship of Thanks
giving and now we sot sail for
the Christmas season.
The News & Courier carried
an editorial of November 28th
under the heading “Blatt, West
and Moody,” which finds me in
complete accord.
We have in the government
of the state a few’ leaders who
think in hundreds of millions
>f dollars, assuming not to
<now that there are some peo-
de who are not millionaires.
T quote the editorial:
“W’hen the General Assembly
meets in January, the public
can expect to view a political
confrontation over proposals
for massive new’ state spend
ing.
A preview’ of this confronta
tion was given Tuesday and
Wednesday in Columbia and
Charleston when Id. Gov. John
West and House Speaker Solo
mon Blatt addressed business
groups. Mr. West praised thf
Moody report, the document
which blueprints new spending.
Mr. Blatt warned that imple
mentation of the entire report
could break the state financial
ly . . .
We hope the forthcoming
confrontation will shed light
as well as heat. South Carolin
ians need more information on
their state’s finances . . .
Mr. Blatt rightly pointed out
that South Carolina has been
steadily raising salaries of
teachers and spending money on
other services It would be
wrong for anyone to suggest
that the Palmetto State has
been a do-nothing state.
The Speaker also w’arned
that the end of tht war in
Vietnam may have a severe
effect on South Carolina tex
tiles, the state’s principal in
dustry. Tax revenues could de
cline, and the state has only
a small reserve fund for finan
cial emergencies.
Mr. Blatt is a shrewd obser
ver of the South Carolina
scene. He may judge that tax
payers don’t want new burdens.
Built-in inflation of the costs
of state government will hurt
the taxpayers severely as it
is.”
Spend Christmas
with
BankAmericard.
the credit card
for everything.
South Carolina
BankAmericard
J liy c
. 1 ! I 1 i o N A T i
It has been two years. Two hard
and wonderful years. This week will
begin the third for “WHATSOEVER
THINGS”. For this one column, let
me be personal.
When I began the column I had to
pay to get in the paper. I didn’t have
the money so I wrote sports for the
small weekly in return for the space.
Then I tried to get other papers to run
the column. I offered it free. I sent
samples to about fifty papers. No one
was interested. One did write and say
sorry he couldn’t use it. So I decided
to quit the column. The very morning
I had made up my mind to quit writ
ing a letter came in the mail. One
editor said he liked the column and
would use it when he had the space.
Call it fate, call it coincidence, call it
whatever you wish. We call is Pro
vidence. But that letter came at the
exact time.
Despite being discouraged by many
whose job it was to know if the column
could go or not, we kept trying. To
day. alter spending about $1500 from
our small salary, the column appears
in about 200 paper across the United
States.
Then there was our book. We went
to five large publishers and only one
showed real interest. But eventually
they all said the same thing: “Books
like this don’t sell on today’s market.”
Hith no outlet other than our readers,
we decided to do with the book what
we did with the column. So we bor
rowed a considerable surn of money
and published the book ourself. We
felt people still would buy “books of
that type.” The books came in mid-
November. The printer, one of the
nations largest and best, did us an ex
cellent job.
I don’t know, the major publishers
could be right. I may lose everything.
But I had to try. There are some
things a man has to do even if the
whole world says no. I would not take
no for an answer. He wouldn’t let me.
And I’m convinced that people will
still buy good clean books of inspira
tion. I’m gambling that folks will
order them and tell their friends a-
bout them. I’m gambling on the good
ness of people.
Well, that’s where we are today. The
column that wouldn’t go has gone. It
is read. More than 300 of you let us
know that with your kind letters last
month. It was one of the greatest ex
periences we have ever had. They came
from the very rich, the very poor, the
educated, the illiterate, the old, the
young, from members of at least 10
different church affiliations. They
came from doctors, editors, students,
housewives, teachers, judges, farmers,
and people of all walks. I shall never
be able to repay vou.
The future? With His help w r e have
just begun. Ther are more papers to
add, more books to write, a radio pro
gram to begin, maybe television, re
cords, and a host of other fields.
Dreaming big, you say? You bet! He
wants us to dream that way. Money?
Sure, it will take a lot of that, money
we haven’t got. But it will come.
Breaks ? He will work those out.
Friends? I have more than I know.
At thirty, we are looking forward
to a great future. Let us walk that
way together.
-—FIVE STAR FEATURES
The Fire Report
By LEWIS LEE
Make Yours A Safe Merry
Christmas Season
At no other season of the
year does the word HOME take
on more meaning than during
the Magic of the Christmas
holidays. Lighted Christmas
trees send their warm glow
into the night, plumes of smoke
spiral into the crisp December
air from fireplace chimneys.
But in that glow, in that smoke
are reflected persistent ques
tions—how many lives will be
lost again hy fire this holiday
season? How many families
will look back to Christmas as
the anniversary of personal
tragedy?—tragedies that pre
clude another Christmas for too
many persons. It is not pleas
ant to inject restraint and cau
tion into the holiday season,
hut unfortunately fire and its
companion, tragedy, kno.v no
holiday. The members of the
Newberry Fire Department
wish for each and everyone A
FIRE SAFE HOLIDAY.
Your Christmas Tree
Beautiful as it may be, your
Chnstmas tree is a fire haz
ard. It becomes a more serious
menace each day it remains in
the dry atmosphere of your
home. At the end of a week,
it will be highly flammable.
Safeguards:
1. Buy a fresh tree a short
time before Christmas and stor<
outside with the base im
mersed in a bucket of water.
2. Cut off +he base at a
slight angle at least one inch
above the original cut. Keep
tree standing in water during
entire period it is in the house.
3. Remove it as soon after
Christmas as you can.
4. Anchor tree firmly so
that it cannot fall and block
escape from the room.
5. Place tree well away y° ur family and
from stoves, radiators, and guests not to light or smoke
other sources of heat. cigars, cigarettes, or pipes near
the tree.
LET US
TAKE A
LOAD OFF
YOUR
SHOULDERS
Insurance rates, renewals, new policies and a
periodic review of your coverage takes time,
study and thought on your part. An independent
insurance agent, highly trained in all lines can
assume much of this responsibility and lighten
your burden immeasurably.
Our experience and knowledge qualify us as
experts in the business. We would like to be
your agent.
“YOUR PRIVATE BANKERS”
1418 Main Street Phone 276-1422