Page Four
THE NEW BERN MIRROR, NEW BERN, N. C.
Wednesday, December 24, 195J
THE NEW BERN MIRROR
Pubtished Every Friday at 111 King Street,
New Bern, N. C., by the Soie Owner
J. GASKILL McDANIEL
-Editor and Publisher
One Year.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
$2.50 Six Months -
Entered as secand-ciass maii at New Bern Aprii 4, 1958,
unJer the act of March 3, 1879.
$1.25
HERE AT LAST
Well, this is the night of nights, the long awaited moment
w hen Santa Claus comes calling on New Bern’s good little boys
and girls. -
Stockings have been neatly hung in thousands of local
homes. Happy homes, if occasionally exasperating, where walls
oHen echo to the gay shrill laughter of children at play.
Very soon now that tremendously excited youngster of
yours will be hustled off to bed. Remarkable though it always
seems, sleep is apt to come quickly.
Maybe that’s because juveniles usually aren’t bothered
with the nervous ailments we adults are plagued with in a de-
cidely topsy turvy world.
It’s a shame all of us can’t be children tonight. Children
with never a care for guided missiles and misguided mortals,
or first of the month bills. We might even lose our ulcers, if
as happy little individuals we had faith enough for this one
night to believe that a kindly old man, with a twinkle in his
eye, will make oi^ dreams come true.
In a world where so many of us have grown too big even
for God, it isn’t surprising that we outgrow Santa Claus. All
around us we see greed and selfishness, and doubt and fear.
It's the same greed, selfishness, doubt and fear that clutters up
our own hearts in varying degrees.
Because these are the things we see close at hand, we
toll ourselves that faith and love, and doing for others isn’t
exactly practical in this extremely practical world.
We’ve even lost hope for peace on earth, and good will
toward men, although angels sang of it that first night in
Bethlehem, and Christ died for it eventually on Calvary’s rug
ged cross.
So tonight, after the kids are tucked in bed, let’s take stock
of ourselves. Let’s light the candles in our souls, and chase
away the shadows of disbelief. Who knows, maybe we’ll re
discover the age-old- truth that the spirit of Christmas, whether
you call it Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, or Kris Kringle, is a
living, lovely thing.
If we can believe it completely,, the lights that glow on
Cliristmas trees out your way will have a brighter gleam, and
you will have a brighter tomororw. This could be the nicest
Christmas you have ever known. Nicest not because of gifts
that come from others, but rather because of a far more pre
cious gift you can give yourself—an understanding heart.
For the editor of The Mirror, it has been a year of per
sonal sorrow and happiness, and a measure of misfortune and
modest success. To most of you who read these lines, it has
been pretty much the same.
This newspaper was born in April, on faith and a prayer
til at it would make a real contribution to the community. As we
reflect upon the issues published since then, it is our earnest
hope that some of the things which appeared in those issues
were worth writing and worth reading.
To the advertisers who made The Mirror possible, we
express our gratitude. Their response, right from the start,
was a heart warming display of confidence. Their continued
and constant support was proof to us that they had unfaltering
belief in a publication that made no pretense at being anything
but a home town paper filled with home town items.
To our subscribers in New Bern and Craven County, and
in 32 States from coast to coast, we extend our heartfelt thanks
for the kind reception you gave us. You proved to be just as
sentimental as we are, and just as interested in the neighborly
approach we took in writing about the wonderful people who
live next door or up the street.
To all of you, a joyful and meaningful Christmas. God
bless you, and keep you, during the Yuletide and always.
Historical
Gleanings
—By—
FRANCES B. CLAYPOOLE
and
ELIZABETH MOORE
Time again
to say,
have a
Merry
Christmas
Dayt
NEW BERN GAS DIV.
TIDEWATER GAS CO.
The Moravians were to North
Carolina what the Pilgrims were
to New Englind. Each had a
strong desire for religious freedom
and education. They had the cour
age and zeal which made possible
the America of today.
In Moravia and B,ohemia in the
18th century a religious group
known as “Moravian Brethren,”
who trace their origin to John Huss
were expelled from their native
lands. They sought freedom to
worship in the “New World,” and
in 1740 made the beginning of a
settlement' in Pennsylvania.
In 1752, under the leadership of
Bishop Augustus Gottlieb Spangen-
berg, the Moravians of Bethlehem,
Pa., came to North Carolina to se
lect and survey a tract of land in
order to plant a settlement on the
Carolina frontier. This settlement
was called Wachovia. The name is
derived from two German words
“wach” meaning meadow, and
“aue” meaning a stream.
On December 25, 1809, a diary
of Friedberg, a small community
on the south borders of Wachovia,
records the following:
“Many came to the Christmas
service. After the festal sermon
the house-fathers met, then the
children had their lovefeast. Two
couples had narrow escapes on
their way to church. They came
in their chairs by Brother Lazarus
Hege’s, where two wagons had
stopped to feed their horses. The
teams had just been re-harnessed
and as the chairs passed they took
fright and ran away. The chairs
were in a lane and there was bare
ly room for them to turn into the
fence corners and let the runaways
pass at full gallop. The wagons
and .harness were, broken to
pieced.” j ’
From the Bethabara Diary, 1313:
December 24. In the afternoon
at 5 o’clock the little children and
babes in arms had their Christmas
Eve service. In the evening the
adult congregation and the older
children gathered for the same
purpose. Ajiew ode was used in the
close of the service. The children
received burning wax tapers.
From the Salem diary, 1821:
December 24. We celebrated the
birth of our Savior with joyful
hearts. Brother Steiner held the
benefeast for the smallest children;
the lovefeast for the other children
and the adults was held by Brother
Van Vleck. At the close of both,
the children received lighted wax
tapers.
Christmas Eve was observed in
the same way in Bethabara and
Bethania. In Hope, in addition to
the wax tapers, each child receiv
ed a printed verse.
December 25: At 6 o’clock the
town girls had a Christmas service
in the schoolroom. There was a
pretty decoration and they gave
a dialogue concerning the birth of
the Savior, interspersed with songs.
Again from the Bethabara diary,
1812:
Deeember 24: “ ... At the close
of the service,, wax tapers were
given to the children, which in-
PREFERRED READING—Howard J. Carpenter, one of New
Bern’s better known citizens, has an interested listener as
he delves into the most popular of all Christmas literary
gems. The young lady is his 20-month-old great-grand
daughter, Dennie Best. It is plain to see that both of them
are having a wonderful time.—Photo by Billy Benners.
creased their Christmas joy, and
holding the burning tapers in their
hands they sang the hymn: Mor-
genstern auf finstre Nacht,” writ
ten by Johann Scheffer of Silesia.
It was translated into English in
1885 by Rev. Bennett Harvey, Jr.,
of England, and has become one
of the favorite Christmas hymns
of the Moravian church. In English
it begins: ‘Morning Star, 0 cheer
ing sight! Ere thou cam’st how
dark earth’s night!’ ”
From Memorabilia of the Con
gregation of the Brethren in Wa
chovia for the year 1809:
December 25: “At 10 o’clock
Brother Reichel preached the fes
tal sermon in Salem. In Friedberg
and Friedland the children had a
happy lovefeast after the preach
ing service.”
Again from the Friedberg diary,
1815:
December 25: “Christmas day.
Many gathered and the sermon
was preached on the word of the
angel: Unto you is born this day,
in the City of David, a Savior
which is Christ the Lord.
“Then there was the festival
lovefeast for the children. They
were told the meaning of the love
feast, the festal story was laid up
on their hearts and a prayer was
made to the Child Jesus, once
wrapped in swaddling clothes and
laid in a manger.”
for a very bright and
Ace Electric Co.
318 SOUTH FRONT STREET
May Your Christinas Be
Bright As Holly Berries!
Culpepper
Awning
Co.