(Ehr Zebulmt Serorb
VOLUME XIV.
This, That, and
The Other
MRS. THEO. B DAVIS
THE FOUR COUNIT NEWSPAPER—WAKE, JOHNSTON, NASH AND FRANKLIN
ZEBULON. NORTH CA ROLINA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24,1937
CLUB COLUMN
SPECIAL MEETING
HOME DEM. CLUB
The Home Demonstration Club
of Wakefield will meet on Wed
nesday of next week, instead of
the regular date, which was the
fourth Wednesday in the month.
At the postponed meeting a special
r eature will be the installation of
lew officers. As usual this, the
ast meeting of the year, will be a
ocial and it is hoped that every
lember may attend. Remember the
ite, Wednesday, December 29, at
30 p. m.
- - -n ... TrU:. - '■*
Christmas WfflA
Crime or
(Editorial)
o
The day was born in Christianity and cradled in heathenism. The heart of
it today may still be Christian, but most of its visible characteristics sound and
savor much like the pagan practices of our ancestors in the forests of Germany.
Days and even weeks before Christmas day people begin preparations for
its observance. Money is saved, plans are made, and everybody begins to look
expectantly towards Christmas. Shells are bought for hunting, fireworks are
provided for making the most noise possible, the best liquor is secured, big
dances are advertised, rich foods, nuts and fruits are bought—all this by people
regardless of color or creed.
Turn to the church itself. Many of them treat Christmas as other days.
The pastor may preach a Christmas sermon. The Sunday School may prepare a
pageant in which a crib and music dominate. The pdor are remembered slightly
with food and other gifts. The Christian’s Christmas c6nters around a baby—an
innocent, dependent mite of life. Then when an heur is spent in exalting the
babe, these Christians join the rest of humanity in its revelry and feasting, and
the exchanging of gifts and good wishes.
We feel that this is all wrong. It gives the world an opportunity of grati
fying its selfishness and sinfulness behind a thin veil of charity to the needy and
praise to God. Back in 1614, England, by act of Parliament, forbade the ob
servance of Christmas. In 1659 the Puritans passed a law: “Whoever shall be
found observing any such a day as Christmas or the like, either forbearing of
labor, feasting, or in any way, as a festival, shall be fined 5 shillings.” So the
present way of observing the day is not new.
Our own conviction is that Christmas should be a Christian holy day, or be
divorced from the church altogether. It should not point back two thousand
years to a baby cradled in a manger, but forward to the exalted Christ. It should
not be centered around a helpless baby, but proclaim a risen, reigning Lord. It
should be a time of giving and not getting. For what we have already received,
we should gladly give honor and praise to Christ and gifts and service to those
in need of sustaining substance.
The way most people—even church members —celebrate the coming of Jesus
into the world is a crime against the race and a sin against its Savior. The world
and the church would both be better without it unless it can be redeemed from
its pagan practices and selfish service.
If Christian men and women only realized the true meaning of God’s gift to
the world, instead of making it a day of revelry and feasting, they would pour
out in a sacrificial way of their substance a great offering to send the glad
tidings of great joy to those who yet sit in darkness. A few women and fewer
men do this, but the great mass of Christendom fail to discern the true meaning
of Christmas. The angels’ song was all right for angels, but redeemed mortals
need to put a deeper meaning into their song, and then support their profession
with a loyal, unselfish service from Christmas to Christmas.
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name, Ye ransomed from the fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all.”
HARRISON NOW TAX
SUPERVISOR; CHAMBLEE
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
D. Bryant Harrison, former sher
iff of this county and later county
commissioner, has resigned and
has been made tax supervisor at a
salary of S2OO per month. M. Wal
lace Chamblee, mayor of Zebulon,
and a leader among Young Demo
crats, has been appointed to the
unexpired term of Harrison. It is
presumed that he will be a candi
date for election in the next cam
paign. He represents eastern Wake
on the board of commissioners.
Do not use the word between
when no more than two objects
are referred to. Use among for
three or more.
CHURCH NOTES
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The candlelight service at the
Baptist church last Sunday was
said by many to have been the best
ever presented in the church. Ar
ranged and directed by Mesdames
Philip Massey and Lester Green,
the program was in simplified pa
geant form centering on the Na
tivity. Mrs. Avon Privette was
reader; Mrs. L. M- Massey, soloist,
with the full choir also taking
part; Mrs. J. D. Horton was pianist
Mrs. Lester Green and Anne Mas
sey gave the prologue; Miss Marie
Watson took the part of Mary;
Roscar Pits, Joseph; Wise Men
were Robert Edd Horton, Dwight
NUMBER 25
NEWS
OF THE
WEEK
BAN ON “SPY” PHOTOS URGED
Washington, D. C.—The House
Military Affairs Committee is con
sidering a letter from President
Roosevelt urging a general tight
ening up of permission to photo
graph the country’s defenses, for
tifications and naval equipment,
over which there has heretofore
been little or no restraint.
GERMAN WAR-LORD DEAD
Munich, Germany—General Erich
Ludendorff, Chief of Staff of the
German armies during the World
War, is dead of an acute kidney
ailment at the age of 72. In his la
ter years the military leader be
came the head of a religious cult of
agnostic learnings.
SIXTY NATIONS AT FAIR
New York City—Contracts have
been signed or preliminary steps
taken by sixty nations for repre
sentation in New York’s World’s
Fair which opens April 30, 1939.
Their exhibits are expected to en
tain an expenditure of 125,000,000.
GERMANY LEADS IN PLANES
Berlin, Germany—With 129 ships
aggregating 164,340 horsepower,
Germany is declared to load Eu
rope in commercial airplanes.
France follows with 87 ships of
116,000 h. p., Italy with 72 planes
of 102,000 h. p., the Netherlands
with 35 ships of 41,000 h. p., and
Great Britain trails with 34 of
56,000 h. p.
RADIO SPONSORS APOLOGIZE
Hollywood, Cal.—After a flood
of violent protests to the Federal
Communications Commission, the
National Broadcasting Company
and Chase and Sanborn, the spon
sors, for a “lewd", “smutty”, “vul
gar”, “obscene”, and various other
descriptive terms applied to the
broadcast of Mae West over the
radio, the sponsors have apologiz
ed to the public for the buxom
star’s flight into the ether. Chair
man McNinch of the Communica
tions Board has asked for a re
port from the NBC as to the re
sponsibility of ofifcials who per
mited the offensive matter to go
out over the company’s network.
TREASURY CONDITION
Receipts $156,171,989
Expenditures $242,064,713
Balance $2,765,147,321
Deficit, Fiscal Year $678,572,000
Public Debt $37,506,460,869
Debnam, Charles Hinton; Shep
herds, Ray Pippin, Billy Green,
Kirby Pearce; Angel of the An
nunciation, Cornelia Herring; Spir
it of Christmas, Ercelle Littleton.
At the conclusion of the pageant
nearly all present went forward
carrying gifts to be sent to those
in need or for missions.
We invite the people of Zebulon
to share with us at the Methodist
Church next Sunday morning and
night appropriate seasonal wor
ship services.
Shall be glad to see you at
church. —J. W. BRADLEY.