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o THE CHATHAM RECORD H. A. London EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Terms of Subscription $1.50 PER YEAR Strictly in Advance THE CHATHAM RECORD Rates of Advertising One Square, one insertion - - $1.00 One Square, two insertions - $1.50 One Square, one month - - $2.50 For Larger Advertisements Liberal Contracts will be made. ; VOL. XXXVII. PITTSBORO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N. C., JANUARY 27, 1915. NO. 25. iff '''' m i''Sj'f TIT (ft ' ' .- . fc. ' 11 J f' Pi , it 'I 111 111 ill ill 11 I 111 V, The War SUMMARY OF THE EUROPEAN WAR FOR ONE WEEK READ AT A GLANCE January 25. The most important of the week's martial developments in Europe if the report is based on fact is the announcement from Petrograd, printed in Paris, that Germany has in formed Roumania that the latter country's military measures and its encouragement of a revolutionary movement in Transylvania constitute hostile acts. Roumania has made no secret of the fact that her army is virtually on a war footing and there have been reports for weeks that she was about to enter the conflict on the side of the allies. Official confirmation of Germany's stand is not obtained, how ever. Fiercely contested battles continue at various points on the Western front, but they have been devoid of important results so far as official re ports disclose. The heaviest engage ments are reported in the Argonne, around Verdun and in Alsace, while along the Belgiancoast British war ships have bombarded German posi tions at every sign of action.- Renewed aerial activities by both the Germans and the allies have pro vided a spectacular feature of oper ations in the west. Dunkirk has been the target for German bombs while Ostend, Bruges and Zeebrugge have been visited by the allies aircraft. All these cities are bases for military supplies. The great armies in the. east ap parently are resting on their arms, while their commanders prepare for new developments. The Germans' attack in front of "Warsaw has become less determined, while the armies in the Carpathians are snowbound. The Austro-Germans are preparing to turn their attention to the southeast, where the Russians are marching on Transylvania. The Russians already have met strong Austrian opposition. Only minor engagements are re ported, however, by the Russian gen eral staff. January 24. Russia's plans for an invasion of Hungary and a hurried march to Budapest have suffered a temporary set-back, it was officially admitted. Austria's defending armies have been heavily reinforced. General Ianoff has halted the Russian forces planning to break through the Kiria baba pass into the plains of Hungary, and has temporarily abandoned fur-, ther offensive operations through southern Bukowina, the Russian army m that region retaining possession of few miles north of Watra Dorna. Meagre reports from Bukowina in dicate that these reinforcements con sist of fresh levies kof Hungarian troops. A patriotic appeal to defend their country from invasion has fired the Hungarians with the zeal almost of religious fanatics. The Russian staif anticipates the most stubborn resistance of the campaign in eastern Austria from these. It was reported that Russia is con tent to mark time in Bukowina for a few weeks at least, pending Rou manian possible entrance into the war as her ally in the. operations against Transylvania and Hungary. Concentrating their attack in a fresh smash against St. Mihile, the French armies south of Verdun are again at tempting to force the Germans to re linuish their positions on the west bank of the Mense., Reports from the Verdun and Pont a Moussou regions indicated that the French forward movement in the Le Prettro woods toward Metz, has been abandoned temporarily. Artillery engagements and unimport ant infantry conflicts were reported from the coast south to xVrras. January 23. The official Russian ! statement says no change has taken place in East Prussia, but mention later operations in Poland. Wireless dispatches from Berlin re fer to the recent attack on English coast towns as having been made by Zeppelins and other dispatches report that the Germans officially explain, the throwing of bombs by the fact that in their expedition against the forti fied town of Great Yarmouth the air ships were fired at and retaliated with explosives. In anticipation of a Russian inca-N sion, Hungarian troops are reported to be proceeding t5 the Bukowina fron tier. Russia is said to be preparing a new plan of campaign particularly suited to the methods of the Russian army and it is expected that new of fensive operations will develop within a month. The German minister of war, Lieut Gen. Erich von Falkenhayn, has re signed and has been replaced by Maj. Ben. von Hohenberg. The former war minister has been made a gener al and retains his position as chief of staff. The British secretary of state for foreign affairs Sir Edward Grey, does not find it possible to promise that the former Hamburg-American line steam er Dacis, now. under the American fiag, will not be thrown into a prize court should she attempt to reach Ger many with a cargo of cotton, but de clares that Great; Britain either will purchase the cotton at the German IF! Brief prices on the seizure of the vessel or have the cargo placed on another ship, and forwarded to Rotterdam at its own expense. January 22. The German airships for they are thus described by the German official report which raided the coast towns of Norfolk county, dropped twenty or more bombs. The missiles killed four persons; injured ten or more and did considerable property damage. A report that a fifth person, a soldier, had been killed, proved incorrect. Battles both in the east and the west now consist largely of artillery engagements, with occasional infan try attacks. The French claim fur ther progress in the region of Point-A-Mousson, to which' military men at tach much importance. It is predict ed that the Germans will launch a heavy offensive as they did with great success at Soissons, to put a stop to the French advance towards the roads leading to Metz. The Germans captured more trench es in the Argonne, but, according to the French official report, they were retaken. The only point of importance dis closed by official statements, is an in timation in the Berlin communication that the Germans have undertaken a counter-offensive in Alsace. In Poland and west Galicia the Ger mans and Austrians continue isolated attacks against the Russian lines, which, according to the Russian re port, have been repulsed with heavy loss to the attacking forces. The Russians are advancing slow ly through the mountains separating Bukowina and Trensylvania, and are approaching Dorna-Watra, a town of some importance near the Roumanian border. It is believed the Turkish Caucasian army will not -retire to Erzerum, but will be put in readiness for defense against the Russians . when they de-. eide to advance. It is considered likely, however, that the Russians will be content for the present with suc cesses, already gained in this region, and turn their attention to the Turk ish forces in Azerbaijan before invad ing Turkey.. Januryl- An air raid on the Brit ish Isles with towns in the country of Norfolk as its objective and the royal residence at Sandringham as its espe cial mark is the latest enterprise s un dertaken by the ' Germans. Bombs were dropped near Sandringham pal ace.. Other bombs fell on Yarmouth, King's.. Lynn-., Cromer, Sherringham and Beeston. -. The casuality list has not yet been made up, but it is known that several persons were killed and that considerable damage was done. One report has it that a Zeppelin dirigible was brought down by a war ship at Hunstandon eight or ten miles north of Sandringham." The royal residence was not dam aged, although it is said . bombs fell in the king's estate. King George and Queen . Mary only recently left Sandringham to resume their resi dence in Buckingham palace. Fighting is going on in northern France at certain points, but general ly along the line in the West there is comparative quiet. In the East the Russians apparently are carrying but an envelopment in Poland, while the .Germans express satisfaction witbi the situation and the progress of their owvn campaigns. The German- chief of staff' and min ister of war, Lieut. Gen . Erich von Falkenhayn, in a statement to the definite prediction as to the length of the war, said it was possible for it to go on indefinteiy; that the advan tage thus far had bene with the Ger mans; that nothing could force the Germans to stop fighting, and added: "If in this war to crush a nation whose offense is that, through industry and hard .work, it; has prospered and is prosperous, we should go down, we shall go down with honor, fighting .to the last ditch and the last man." January 20. Characteristic fighting is going oh in northern France where the village of Le Boisselle, 20 miles northeast of Amiens, was taken from the French by the Germans and later recaptured by the French. At this point there has been much woTk with the bayonet. A French am munition depot blew up and part of the village was destroyed by the fire The Germans, taking advantage of this incident, attacked the French recaptured the position. A French eye witness with official authority , gives some idea of the na ture of . fighting that has been going on in the west. He describes the fighting near Solissons 10 days ago as resulting favorably for the allies, but later the waters of the Aisne, swollen by the heavy storms, came jver the banks, washed bridges away and pre vented the allies from sending rein' forcements to points where the French troops were being; hard pressed bj the Germans. This resulted in a re tirement of something like a mile and the establishment' of a strong front in a good strategic position on the right bank of the river. In Galicia the Austrians have suc ceeded, east of Zakliczyn, in forcing t&e Russians to evacuate their trench es for several miles. WEST GROWING FIERCER HEAVY ENGAGEMENTS IN THE ARGONNE, AROUND, VERDUN AND ALSACE. WATCH EVERY GERMAN MOVE Russian and German Troops in Po land Placed so Either May Flank Other if Vistula is Crossed. London. Although official descrip tions of fighting in the west are brief, there is evidence that it is growing fiercer at many points. The Germans are showing renewed activity in the neighborhood of Ypres and heavy bombardments of the Allies left wing are almost incessant. It is from the center eastward, how ever, that the battles are most bitter. In the Argonne, around Verdun and in Alsace heavy engagements con tinue apparently without any decision having been reached. But these are merely local affairs compared to what is expected when the ground becomes more suitable for moving troops. Along the Belgian coast every Ger man move is the signal for a renewed bombardment by British ship3 while the aviators of both forces are con tinually dropping bombs behind the hostile lines. , Dunkirk has been singled out for German air attacks, doubtless because it is believed it is being used by the British as a base, of supplies from England while Ostend, Bruges and Zeebrugge are recieving attention from the Allies. There is no confirma tion from official sources of the re ported visit of the Allies' airmen to Essen and Dusseldorf early in the week. ' A remarkable situation has arisen in Poland. Russian troops north of the lower Vistula are now 50 miles further west than the. Germans in the direction of Warsaw; so that a suc cessful crossing of the Vistula would make a flank attack by either army possible. The Germans are keeping careful guard over a possible passage of the river above Plock, evidently for this reason, but the Russian ob jective appears to lie to the nortn rather thaa to the, south. On the whole, however, the Austro-Germans, for political reasons, must divert their attention to the southeast, where the Russians are pressing through the mountains towards Transylvania. According to Russian statements strong Austrian forces already have been encountered and there is a sug gestion that the Russians are expected to meet surious opposition before long. The attacks in front of War saw have grown less frequent and apparently are not being pushed with the same determination as previously. In the Carl athians the armies are snow-bound OBREGON FOLLOWS CARRANZA. Tells Gutierrez He Will Stick to His Former Leader. Washington. General Alvaro Abre gon has spurned overtures from Gen eral Elualio Gutierrez to joint an in dependent movement against both Carranza an the Villa-Zapata coalition, and will remain loyal to Carranza, ac cording to an nnouncement by the Carranza agency here. The following telegram from Gen eral Obregon, dated Puebla, was made public by the agency. "Deny all versions of the report that I have joined Gutierrez. As always, I have the honor to form a part of the Constitutionalist army worthily commanded by Venustiano Carranza. Generals Gutierrez, Robles, Benavides, Blanco, Chao,' Zuazua and Sanchez have initiated a campaign against Vil la and have issued a manifesto disclos ing his latest crimes. Ido not know what flag they intend to follow." Fund For Survivors. New York. Madame Slavko Grou itch, wife of the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Serbia, reached here to raise a fund for the restora tion of families of Serbian farmers to their homes devastated by the war. Before her marriage she was Miss Mabel Dunlap of Virginia. Democrats Agree on Ship Bill. Washington. Senate Democrats in caucus reached final agreement on the ship-purchase bill and adopted a reso lution making it a party measure. Three Democrats voted against it, but later it was made unanimous. No material amendments to the bill as perfected in previous caucuses were advanced. The principal differences of opinion arose on Senator Hoke Smith's amendment to provide that the government after restoration of normal world conditions should lease purchased ships to private concerns. Belgians Don't Complain. London.-"The impression I take way from Liege are of wonder that a. people, can suffer so much in silence and of admiration for the bravery which enables them to do it." -, This statement was made by Dr. P. H. Williams of New York, whom, at the suggestion of the Rockefeller Foundation, directed operations of the American "Commission for Relief in Belgium at Liege and is now return ing to America. "The people -of Bel gium -never complain, but they never laugh," he said. " , . NORTH CAROLINA GEHERALA SSEMBLY SOME STATE-WIDE BILLS AND MANY LOCAL BILLS ARE ACTED UPON. DISPATCHES FROM RALEIGH Doings and Happenings That Mark the Progress of IMorth Carolina Peo ple Gathered Around the State Caoitol. - Raleigh. WEATHER FORECAST. Movements Due and Their Local Ef fects for the Cotton States Janu ary 31 to February 6, 1915. Sunday, January 31 The week will open cool in the South, but with tem peratures starting upward and it will be generally fair. Monday, Feb. 1; Tuesday, Feb. 2, Wednesday, February 3 A cool wave will lower temperatures somewhat, beginning in Western Cotton Belt Monday and crossing to the Eastern Belt by Wednesday. There will be frosts from this movement in Western Belt and Northern half of Middle Belt, and a generally freezing temper ature in t Eastern Belt Wednesday and Thursday. r Thursday, Feb.. 4 ; Friday, Feb. 5 ; Saturday, Feb. 6 A cool wave will overspread Western Belt late on Wed nesday, Middle Thursday and East ern Thursday and Friday. It will be accompanied by dashes of ra& or snow, but soon clear and bring freez ing weather all along the Gulf and South Atlantic Coasts, with heavy frosts. Senate. The. senate discussed for an hour the Nash bill for abitral courts under the direction of clerks of the courts to settle differences out of court and then let the bill go over for another day Another hour was consumed with debating the house bill to make debts due and payable when any part of the security is disposed of in Hert ford and Union counties. It finally squeezed through second reading and went over for another day by agree ment. -- - - Charging that the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad has flagrantly disre garded the condition under which the Wilmington & Weldon was authorized by staute to consolidate with other railroads in the formation of the At lantic Coast Line Railroad in its hav ing merged further into the Atlantic Coast Line of Virginia and claiming to be non-resident and not subject to the jurisdiction of the state courts, Senator Gilliam introduced . in the senate a bill to repeal the acts of 1893 and 1899 authorizing the mergers and directing that the attorney general of the state institute suit in the name of the state for the dissolution of the mergers effected in the consolidation in this state and proceed to have re ceivers appointed and the individual lines of the system in this state sold.' The bill went to the committee on railroads. A notable bill introduced was by Senator Miller to amend the revenue act so as to eliminate double taxes in the case of mortgaged property through the mortgagee fraying on the solvent credit and the mortgagor on the property involved. . . The senate passed the Allen bill from the house providing that for the future any rules of contempt . issued by a judge, except in cases of acts in the presence of the court, must be returnable before some judge other than the one issuing the rule. The Miller bill to make it unlaw ful to give liquor to minors was pass ed after having been forced over by ob jection from the previous day's ses sion. The senate and house both received from Governor Craig the report oi the state board of internal improve ments sharply criticising the policy' of the state treasury and conditions in other state institutions and recom mending! that a commission of busi ness men be appointed to put the state's finances and methods on a business. $10,000 Simply for the Asking. It was a happy group of ladies who came, out of the office of Colonel Wood, state auditor, for they had in their possession a warrant for $10,000 which was appropriated in 1913 for the building of a home for worthy women descendants of Confederate veterans. This action; following a meeting of the council of state, which had been called at the request of the ladies who were there in the inter est of the appropriation, the .ladies could have gotten this money nearly two years ago. New Charters Are Issued: Charters were issued as follows: The Pioneer Gold Mining Company, Charlotte, capital $200,000, divided into 2,000,000 shares of the value of 10 cents a share. The Southern: Ve neer Company, Charlotte, capital $200,000 in 2,000,000 share. The Green vill Furniture Company, Green ville, capital $20,000 authorized and $4,000 subscribed for general furni ture business. The Greensboro Rest Cottage, to be established as a refuge heme for fallen women, incorporated without capital stock. .j The Senate voted by a big majority against the joint resolution to limit the present session of the Legislature to 40 days. This was after two-hours' discussion in which Gardner, Gilliam and others urged the adoption and Senators Mill, Hobgood and others op posed it as a vain and impossible thing to accomplish. The action of the Senate will probably cause the House to not call up the resolution at that end of the Capitol at all. ' Pass Final Reading. Bills passed final reading as fol lows : To correct boundaries in the corporate limits of Albemarle and permit the issue of bonds; to legalize an election In. Cherryville, Gaston county, on a bond issue; to provide for the printing of 2,000 copies of the governdrs message; to repeal the act creating a special criminal court for Anson county. To amend the law relating to weights and measures ; to- amend the law as to standard keeper at Beaufort County; to repead the Sampson Coun ty dog tax law; to prevent the use of narrow-tired vehicles in Richmond, Hoke, Moore Montgomery Counties. Huose. The Dunnning bill for the division of the state into an eastern and a western circuit of superior courts, in stead of the long re-established pres ent system of one circuit and state wide rotation of the judges was car ried in the house by an overwhelming majority, after being strenuously op posed by numbers of the representa tives, including Currie of Cumberland, Bynum of Chatham and others, as tending to decrease the Intermingling of the people of the two sections and the creation of something of a. Mason and Dixon line In North Carolina. Oi. the other hand advocates of the meas ure agrued that the making of two circuits was no more than having two religious conferences, dioceses or oth er divisions for the better prosecution of the work to be furthered. The vital statistics bill, that stirred such opposition as working terrible hardship on remote sections through preventing the burial of the dead un til official reports had teen made by the physician of the death was amend ed to avert interference with burials and to merely penalize the physician if the death is not reported within 10 days. It passed in this form. . The ever-present fish question stir red the house for more than an hour through the debate of the Meekins bill to exempt Tyrell county from the jurisdiction of the fish commis sioner. Representative Laughinghouse led the opposition and gave ginger to the debate, and Speaker Wooten had to call repeatedly for order and de corum and read from the rules as to abstinence from personal . ties and observance of the decencies of speech in debate on the floor. Finally there was postponement of the vote. Representative Roberts introduced the regular State Forestry Association bill , for protection of the forests of the state from fires through provisions for fire wardens and designed to in duce Federal co-operative work in this service. A bill backed by recommendation of Governor Craig was introduced by Mintz of Wayne to create a board of managers to handle the finances of the state institutions, except the penitentiary, three members to re ceive $3,000 each and take the place of the. -various institutional directo rates. '. ... ' .. Roberts of Buncombe introduced his Australian ballot bill, which will be held in x committee, until Senatoi Hobgood ; introduces one somewhat similar "in the senate. The following bills passed final read ing:. Relative to killing veal n Guilford Hoke, Moore, Rowan and Warren counties ; to protect public roads ir Granville county; relative "to bills oi lading as evidence; to regulate killing of quail in Perquimans county; foi maintenance of public roads in Orange county; to disclose sources of nitrogen on fertilizer sacks; providing stand ard weights in North Carolina; rela tive to compost heaps and their own ership; to prevent destruction of oys ters in Brunswick county; or authorize Anson county commissioners to use certain funds for plank fords on Rocky River; to protect game in Cum berland; regulating importation oi feedstuff s in North Carolina; to abol. ish county treasurer's office in Duplin county; to give peanut pickers lieu on nuts picked; regarding registration of farm names; to amend charter oi Hertford; to repeal road commission act for Columbus county - '"Portland Ned" Gets Seven Years. Judge Connor in the Federal court a few , days ago sentenced "Portland Ned" . alias - James Johnson, to seven years, and T. A.. Conway, to five years in the Atlanta prison for the robbery of the Siler City nad Plymouth post offices. A ' jury having found both guilty earlier in the' day. Portland Ned made a statement to the court in which he insisted that much of the black record given him by the govern ment detectives as had been detailed in the trial was a "frame-up" against him. -. Would Compel Tobacco Reports. Commissioner of Agriculture Gra ham has prepared two bills to be pre sented to the Legislature. . One is for machinery to compel leaf tobacco warehousemen to make their month ly reports. There is a law requiring that these reports be filed with the commissioner, but it is not compiled with by some. Major Graham said that there had not been a complete report for any month sinjfee he .had been commissioner. At various times there have been one to a dozen re ports lacking. STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ALL NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE. - COMING EVENTS. Tri-State Medical Association, Charl.es , ton, S. C Feb. 17U8, 1915. : Iredell County . Creamery Opened. , TheMooresville Co-Operative Creamery, was formally opened here with public exercises in the graded school auditorium, followed by a butter-making demonstration during the afternoon. It will be ' recalled that about 18 months ago an effort was made in Iredell county to establish a creamery, but owing to the fact that the cream routes .were not or ganized and there was not sufficient butter-fat gathered at this point to maintain one, it was deemed advisable not to attempt starting such an insti tution until routes were thoroughly or ganized and the cream obtainable. Farmers began at once with their dog ged determination to succeed, and with a united effort, the creamery was launched. Masonic Grand Lodge Officers. The North Carolina Grand Lodge of Masons elected Frank P. Hobgood, Jr.,. of Greensboro grand, master to suc ceed John T. AldeTman of Henderson, retired. A. B. Andrews, Jr., of Raleigh was advanced to deputy grand : mas ter, Claude L. Pridgen of Kinston to senior grand warden and George S. Norfleet of Winston-Salem, advanced from the appointive office of senior grand deacon to the first elective offi cer of junior grand warden. NORTH CAROLINA NEWS BRIEFS. Western contractors are exploring the bottom of the Cape Fear river for unknown reasons. Capt. Steve Smith of the gasboat Carl T, plying between Newbern and Adams Creek and carrying freight, was in some way knocked from the vessel and drowned before assistance could reach him. ' Just how the acci dent occurred is not definitely known. Provision for the erection of a mon ument costing $20,000, in Wilmington to the Confederate soldier -is made in the will of the late Mr. Gabriel James Boney, filed for probate recently. Mr. Boney leaves an estate estimated at $50,000. . Lee S. Overman, North Carolina Senator, has just celebrated his 61st birthday. Quarker Gap Township held its elec tion for a bond issue to build good roads. The movement was defeated by a majority of only 31 votes. Asheville citizens are considering a modern form of commission govern ment. Policeman Bob Kendrick of Shelby was shot by a negro recently. The wound is not serious. Maj. Graham had on exhibition in his office at Raleigh a sample of paper bagging manufactured for the use in J bailing cotton. It was submitted by a manufacturer. 4 Judge Lyon appointed Chas. D. Rose of Fayetteville, clerk of the superior court of Cumberland county, tempo rarily, succeeding Clerk McKeithan, who recently died. Judge Lyon will make a permanent appointment later. Mr. Hitchcock, an enterprising New Yorker who came to Shelby several months ago to visit Rev. J. B. Sill, the Episcopal minister, has concluded to make Shelby his home. Believing there is money in eggs, ne has started a chicken f atm two miles east of town and proposes to raise eggs for the Northern markets. "Resolved, That North Carolina should adopt a state-wide dog tax for the beenfit of public schools," was the query discussed by the North Caro lina Club at Chapel Hill at its recent semi-monthly meeting. The debate was supplemented 'by the audience's vote on the subject, which favorably voted for a state-wide levy on dogs, the decision standing 22 to 16. Robeson county led tn total produc tion of cotton for 1914. 63,197 bales were ginned. Halifax farmers Intend to greatly increase their tobacco acreage this year. Work will be begun on Charlotte's new Federal postoffice building about July 1. Asheville Union Printers are urging the selection' of Asheville as site for home for tubercular printers. Three-fourths of the truck growers in New Hanover county have agreed to join a truck gorwers association. Adjutant General , Laurence W. Young has 'issued commissions to W C. Albright as first lieutenant and R. A Blizzard as second lieutenant of Company I, First Regiment, Mount Airy. These men were elected by the company in compliance with a recent order. Spray has become a model com munity. An up-to-date health officer, sanitary inspector,, medical examina tion of school children and drinking water looked after are, some of the things accomplished, and a program of systematic nealth education in augurated. ? The sinking of an experimental deep well to determine whether or not Wilmington can be supplied with an adequate quantity of pure water has been completed, and, according to tests made, has a capacity of from 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 gallons of water every 24 hours. , The Cape Fear Lath & Shingle Co., with offices in Wilmington, has an nounced that early in February a chain of mills will be put in opera tion , in . Duplin, Bladen, Pender and Swain counties for the manufacture of laths, shingles and lumber from gum, cypress and pine. MHraONAL SlDMOIOOL Lesson iBy B. O. SELLERS, Acting Director ol Sunday School Course Moody Bible In stitute, Chicago.) LESSON FOR JANUARY 31 THE BIRTH OF SAMSON. LESSON TEXT Judges 13:8-16, 24-25. GOLDEN TEXT Beware, I pray thoe. and drink no wine nor strong drink. Judges 13:4. The story of Samson bulks large in the book of Judges and in the interest ' and imagination of all men ever since his day. This being the only lesson in a seven years' course we suggest, in outline, Samson's entire life. .1. Samson's Parents. God chooses a humble man and woman, folk of piety and prayer, to bring forth and rear this great deliverer. The angel's most improbable promise (13:3) is accepted by Manoah and his wife (13:6, 7). They express a desire to be able to measure up to the responsibility a suggestion to parents. There is also a hint of the dual responsibility of par ents in the words, "teach us." (See Eph. 6:4; Jas. 1:5-7.) It was reason able to believe that the one who brought the promise could also tell them how to train and nurture the child. God honored the mother'3 pray er and she shares her experience with, the father (v. 9). As the mother of a Nazarite she must keep herself from all things unclean (v. 14; II Cor. 6: 17), even as Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:38). The experience of the sacrifice, the worship of Manoah and his wife and the fact of Sam son's birth completes the record of chapter 13. Manoah could not worship the angel, "but could show him hospi tality. Verse 18 (R. V.) seems to Indi cate that this was another premani festation of our Lord Jesus. II. Samuel's Power. Every race has its superman, and usually it is one of physical strength. That Samson had no physical evidence of his superior strength is evident from the fact that wa his strength in his hair, else there was no need that the "Spirit of Jehovah" should come upon him. The secret of his power is indicated in 13:25. The word "move"- suggests to play upon a harp, as if Samson' heart was open to God as a harp is open to human touch. "Samson's power was the result of a faith that was open to the infinite storehouse of the di vine dynamic." Such spiritual power is within the reach of every man. Samson ("sunny") was full of laugh ter; not the comic, but the joyous. He did the big things God gave him to do and was filled with gladness But Samson came under the spell of an evil woman and all of this true laugh ter and glad joyousness left his soul. III. Samson's' Impurity. A woman can make or mar the man with whom she associates. As a Nazarite, Samson was dedicated unto God, must not al low a razor to touch his head, was not to touch anything unclean, nor drink ."ntoxlcating liquor. This vow was usually for a short period Samuel and John the Baptlzer are other Naza rites recorded in Scripture, and are said to have been such from birth (3:14; 16:17; Luke 1:15). Samson's strength burned out when he lay his head in a harlot's lap and the laughter went out of his soul. It was that which broke the contact between him and God. Samson's birth in a godly home, his knowlege of his relation to God and the experience of God's power did not keep him from an ignoble failure. IV. Samson's Imprisonment. We find him after his excesses grinding in the Philistine prison, where he perhaps overheard praises being sung to Dagon who had overthrown Jehovah's judge. It is never safe to play with tempta tion though conscious of our own Strength; then it is we are most apt to fall (I Cor. 10:12). One act and the gay hero is grinding in a prison house. Directly a man goes into im purity, whether in act or thought, he loses the power that formerly moved men or worked wonders Year after year Samson plodded his round of en forced toil, a type of the force and power of intemperance and other im pure habits. Finally, "when their hearts were merry" (16:25), he is brought out to make sport During one of his resting periods he said to a boy near by, "Let me feel of the two pillars," those upon which the main walls rested and which were within a man's reach. Then it was that he was able to grip the mysterious power of the unseen (16:30). Was Samson a suicide? Nci He -accepted death as the InevitabA consequence of his act of duty (See Heb 11:32). The growth of his hair was only a token of t;hat consecration which he had., surrendered when he failed to withstand the wiles of Delilah. The Temperance Teaching of this lesson is all too plain. It must begin la. the home and continue throughout all of life. As we have scattered in formation throughout our. land we, have seen the work of temperance ad vancing mightily. Samson's exploit with the Uon is a temperance sermon in parable (14:5. 6; Prov 20:1).' The business of the .temperance forces is to slay the lion. We are also to eat "honey out of the rock," to gain vic tories, within and without, and. like Samson, we can give honev to others. To have a part in helping to redeem a lost world requires that we keep clean.
The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, N.C.)
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Jan. 27, 1915, edition 1
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