'
VOL. XVIII; NO. 32
CHARLOTTE
LABOR JOURNAL
CHARLOTTE, N. C.. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1948
Subscription $2.00 Per Yeor
Christmas Custom
BIRTHDAY
Nobody knows what is the
exact date on which Christ
was born, or what people first
celebrated the festival on that
date. After the triumph of
Christianiay the prejudice of the
early Christians atflainst the
celebration of birthdays as heath
enish died out. Some time be
tween 337 and 382 A. D., Pope
Julius directed Saint Cyril t^fea
certain the correct date. He*re
ported that the Western churches
observed it on December 25, al
though other churches kept the
day ih January, April, May,
March and September. Pope Jul
ius was satisfied with Saint Cy
ril’s report that he set December
25 as Christmas Day, and our
observance of that date has come
down to us from that decision.
Dr. Alfred Edersheim says “There
is no adequate reason for ques
tioning the historical accuracy
of this date. The objections
generally made rest on grounds
which seem to me historically un
tenable..”
* • •
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Christmas cards were first
printed in London more than
ninety years ago, but did not be
come popular until seventy-four
years ago. The first Christmas
card was only a visiting card on
which was written me greeting,
“A Merry Christmas,” or “A
Happy New Year.” Snow scenes,
holly branches and robins ap
peared later on embossed cards,
probably picturing Christnrth
-scenery, as the robin Ts known if
England as the d^hristpas bird
and also as "The Savior's bird"
because of the legend of its red
breast. The bird is still seen on
Christmas cards, but not so often
as formerly.
* • •
WHY DO WE PRESENT
GIFTS?
It was the custom among the
Romans to make gifts to eael
ether at their winter festival
and this custom also may have
descended to us from anttquf**
But Christians like to feel that
it is because the Wise Men
brought gifts to the infant Jesus
and because of the gift of God
to the world. Gifts to the pool
seem, from the earliest Bible
times, to have been an expres
sion of a thankful heart. W<
bring Him gifts when we give
to those who are in need.
BURNING CHRISTMAS
CANDLES
Burning candles at Christmas
tide is a custom derived from
the Roman Saturnalia. Not only
were candles used for the pur
pose of illumination during that
festival, but they were also ex
changed as gifts in token of
cheerfulness and good will. It
is probable that the employment
of candles was, derived from the
Jewish Feast of the Dedication,
which was held about the same
time of the year as the Saturn
alia and the Yule. The burning
of candles was one of the inci
dents of that feast, and it is not
unlikely that at the time of the
birth of Jesus thousands of can
dles were brightly burning
throughout Palestine — a fitting,
though unintentional, proclama
tion of the Light that had come
into the world.
SANTA CLAUS AND
CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
Saint Nicholas seems to have
been the original of our Santa
Claus. He was the Bishop of
Myra about the year 300 A.D.,
and was very popular because
of his good deeds and kindness,
especially to children, whose
patron saint he is supposed to
be. An old legend says that he
wished to bestow a gift surrep
titiously upon an old nobleman,
who, although poor, did not want
anyone to know eg his poverty.
When the good bishop reached ]
the house he saw the old gentle- 1
man asleep by the fire, so he !
climbed to the top* of the jfhim- I
ney and dropped hi$ gift therein,
thinking it yrould fall on the
; hflarth. But it so happened
j that the money fell into one of
'1 old lentlf '"Jf .4*- stocking‘.i
which his daughter had hung up
to dry, where it was found and
used as a dowry for his eldest
daughter.
. • • *
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
Singing Christmas carols is a
custom so old that even the ori
gin of the word is in doubt. The
first carols were modelled on the
songs written to accompany the
choric dance and caroling—a com
bination of dancing and singing—•
which found its way from the
pagan rituals into the Christian
Church. In the year 689 A. D.
the Council of Toledo forbade
dancing in the church on certain
days, and in the following year
all secular dances in the church
were forbidden. However, the
custom did not die out until about
the year 1209.
LEAVE IT ALL IN JESUS*
HAND
Do you wonder why the blessing
That you prayed for is delayed,
While others seem to get theirs
Before request is made?
It’s not for us to understand,
But leave it all in Jeeus’
Hand.
Do you wonder why your loved
one
Was taken home to stay,
While other folks were left here
Who are only in the way?
It’s not for us to understand.
But leave it all in Jeans’
Hand.
Do you wonder why you suffer
pain
While others are so healthy,
Or why you have to skimp and
save,
While other folks are wealthy?
It’s not for us to understand,
But leave it all in Jesus’
Hand.—Laura T. Halsey.
OUR CHRIST
I know not how that Bethlehem’s
Babe
Could in the Godhead be;
I only know the Manger Child
Has brought God’s life to me!
I know not how that Calvary's
cross *
A world from sin could free;
I only know it’s matchless love
Has brought God’s love to me!
I know not how that Joseph’s
tomb
Could solve death's mystery;
I only know a living Christ.
Our immortality!
H. W. Farrington.
THINGS KNOWN
Thi» old world toys He ia not.
There never was a man
Who could loose the tongue from
dumbness
Or still the palsied hand.
They say that transformation
Is wrought by will alone.
There is no dark damnation.
No bliss before His throne.
But one dear day I met Him
Upon a storm-tossed sea.
He stilled the waves of anguish
And gave His peace to me.
Then He became my yokemate.
My every toil to share,
My shepherd and my keeper,
My heart’s love, pure and fair.
Ho, world, say what you mind to
Of Him who dwells with me;
But think not to persuade me;
What though I cannot see
His face nor hear His footsteps,
Think not I am deceived,
For, oh, 1 know Him, know Him,
Know whom I have believed!
—Jean Leathers Phillips.
THE BLOOD OF JESUS
"How much more shall the
blood of Christ purge your con
science from dead works to serve
the living God.”—Heb. 9:14. We
do not see His blood, but we can
think of the life or power of His
blood.
"Dead works” —
spiritually dead.
works of the
i
Every holiday
has its significance, but none can
compare with Christmas. It is the
one time of the year when self-seek
ing gives way to selflessness, and all
are united in one common attitude
of good will towards our fellowmen.
tr.
8 (Efjrtfiftma* #tft to tfje &orltr
i
By BISHOP WILLIAM A. QUAYLB
C silent skies hsve set up a son*. The great “’blue-black vault of the night heavens is now a blase of light and a
gust of song. There is a chime of wings—wings of angels. Their silver trumpets shine like white Are. The
domed skies are crowded with shining, hallowed faces, and every face clear aa a star, but like a star smiling.
And then these shining, smiling faces break forth into exultant music. Singing was invented that night. It sprang
full-throated from heaven’s heart—the Hallelujah Chorus of the angels. The black night sky, silent for centuries past,
had now become a holy, exuberant, exultant voice.
What has happened to bring the shining, winged angels down against our ground where sleeping sheep are watched
by sleepless shepherds in the dark? Nobody can guess. The thing which brought them there is beyond our guesses. We
cannot guess so high. Though we fly the stars, we cannot come as far as the Epiphany of that night What happened?
Ask it Earth. Ask it, sin-weary world! Ask it, sin-bounded world. Ask it, weary, weeping women. Ask it, war-wounded
mea. Ask It, slave kennelled with the dogs. Ask it child who hangs no Christmas stocking up. Ask it dim eyes from
from which all hope has died. Ask it, ye earthly multitudesfor whose throats there is no song and for whose hearts
there is no sky, and»for whose dust there is neither angel nor spirit! ASK IT.
And the angels raptured their song, “Christ is here, this is Christmas night!”
Run shepherds, though ye be slow of foot, outrun the winds!
And now. since that night all the year’s road leads toward Christmas. We are Christmas bound. We look ahead;
and there Sweet Christmas stands, when God gave his only begotten Son.
That is Christmas—the gift of God of his Son, even our Christ. Merry Christmas! This earth has Christmas,
wherefore, earth, exult, lift up your voice and sing Christmas carols, not to the angels in high heaven, but to God the Father
for the gift of God the Son.
We must all hang our stocking up. Christmas is here. We must all fill somebody’s stockings up. Christmas is here.
Christ gave gifts unto men—Merry Christmas! We be his children, his little children, his bigger children, his big
children. We must do as he did and does. Christ gave gifts unto men.
Green Sees End
Taft-Hartley Act
ELECTION OUTCOME GAVE
MANDATE FOR ACTION
AFL LEADER SAYS
Wellesley Hills, Mass. — AFL
President William Green declared
that Congress, now that it has a
real mandate from the American
people, should make repeal of the
Taft-Hartley law the first order
of business when it convenes in
January.
Mr. Green’ss call for action was
made before the 35th annual Na
tional Business Conference spon
sored by the Babson Institute.
He was scheduled to debate the
Taft-Hartley law Issue with one
of the coauthors of that measure.
Representative Fred A. Hartley.
Mr. Hartley did not take part
in the debate because of a sore
throat.
“The Taft-Hartley law must
be repealed,” the AFL leader
1 said, “if our country is to remain
^! strong and free, if we are to
I have real national unity and
II harmonious labor-management re
I lations in our land, if we hope
I class warfare.”
Hailing the recent election
victory of the Democrats as a
triumph over reactionary forces,
Mr. Green emphasized the fact
that the anti-labor law was a
primary issue in the political cam
paign. The major parties were
on opposite sides of the fence in
this race, he said, unlike the
1946 congressional campaign when
labor legislation was not made
an issue by ejther Demoocrats or
Republicans., Mr. Green asserted
that Is /rty the 19«8 elections
constituted "a real unmistakable
mandate from the American peo
ple against the Taft-Ildttley Act.”
Lashing out at the vicious pro
visions of the law which revive
the evil of government by in
junction, force labor to destroy
itself by denying the boycott
weapon, and promote individual
bargaining instead of collective
bargaining, Mr. Green declared
these and many other objection
able feature* Of the startup have
produced ill effects for the na
tion. He said:
“First, it has disrupted long
standing good relations between
labor and management in many
industries, notably in the print
ing tradea.
“Secondly, it has encouraged
the movement of various indus
tries from high-wage areas to
low-wage unorganised sections of
the country. Businessmen here
in New England, who have ob
served the flight of textile man
fuaaturing to the South, know
whereof I apeak.
“Third, the Taft-Hartley Act
has increased federal government
interference in labor-management
relations to an extent never be
fore known. It is ironic that the
most outspoken antagonists of
federal regulation of business
were primarily responsible for
the Taft-Uartley Act which would
eventually regulate business to
death. Apparently because the
Taft-Hartley Act was loaded
against labor, its authors stopped
worrying about the vast amount
of federal restriction it contains.
“Finally, and most important,
the Taft-Hartley Act has aroused
the bitter resentment of the work
ing men and women of this coun
try. They have not been misled
by the propaganda picturing the
Taft-Hartley Act as their “bill
of rights." They know better.
Their good common sense tells
them that any law which weak
ens their unions is eventaully go
ing to destroy the standards
which the unions won for them.
“At this point in world history,
when the conflicting ideologies of
American democracy and Russian
communism are locked in a tease
struggle and when the American
free enterprise system is facing a
fight for survival, it seems to at
(Continued on Pago 8)