The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 184, Ed. 2 Monday, December 24, 1951 Page: 24 of 48
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THE ABILENE REPORTER NEWS
12-B Abilene, Texas, Monday Evening, Dec. 24, 1951
A STORY
Humble Pastor Finds
Glory at Christmas
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This sto-
ry is reprinted from the Christ-
mas 1950 Issue of KVP Philos-
opher, published by the Kala-
mazoo Vegetable Parchment
Co Kalamazoo, Mich The
writer, John W. Dunning, a
minister, and for many years
president of Alma College in
Michigan was stricken the day
after Christmas and died a few
days later.)
Arcadia was a sleepy, unkempt
village that bell-d its glamourous
name. Rows a frame houses with
wide yards fronted Main Street.
They needed paint, and only here
and there a flower of some neglect
ed perennial poked its stunted
bloom through a riot of under-
growth. —
Two outstanding buildings re-
lieved the dreary thoroughfare.
One was an old post-road tavern,
now called The Inn. The other was
the church. It stood well back from
the street, a relic of remote gran-
deur. Its tail steeple pointed heav-
enward. The edifice and the manse
next door were of the earthy,
earthy type.
The minister was an old man.
He had been Its pastor for forty
gave it to her He did not speak
but watched the couple tenderly.
The child slept and the mother
dozed. Then he said: “Tomorrow
is Christmas Sunday, and I have
my Christmas sermon to write.
I’ll leave you here and will come
back soon Be at home and at
peace You are safe and secure,
now."
It was cold in the study. He look-
ed at his watch. Past two o’clock!
There on the desk was his sermon,
with only the text written. He, a
would put his thoughts together | C“-
quickly, and then try to get some—
rest. But thoughts would not 1
come He felt a strange weakness
and his mind would not work. He
was very, very tired. He put his
head down on the desk and pon-
dered his text.
What was he going to say about
the sheperds? Oh, yes! It was a
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day to
the city of David a Savior, which
is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto
you: Ye shall find the babe wrap-
ped in swaddling clothes, lying ui
a manger
And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly
boat praising God, and saying.
Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, goodwill toward
men.
BB Guns Costly
CRETE. Neb. Dec 24. (—The
simple little BB gun is costing the
city of Crete $20 s week. That’s
what it costs to replace light bulbs
shut out by youngsters sporting BB
gunr. Light Commissioner C. B.
Weaver reported to the city coun-
COMSAT S T Y L E—Sgt.
Gustave Vandeneede of Ghent,
Belgium, sports a nifty set of
chin whiskers, carefully trimmed
to match his combat outfit. The
sergeant is a member of the Bel-
gian detachment.
Cooks Need Tips
Sams as Farmers
ROME. Dec. 24. V—The
and Agriculture Organisation decid-
ed at its sixth world conference
here that it isn’t enough to teach
papa how to grow more food.
I You also have to teach mama
bow to cook it better.
Food
than just how to cook,
and health instruction
| The conference approved an en-
larged program of home economics
and nutrition instruction for 1952
and 1953, to be carried out by field
experts particularly in the more
backward countries.
This instruction will cover more
d
0.
St Joseph ASPI
3
eluded. The idea: not just to see
that the world has food to eat, but
that the food does its full job of
providing nourishment and leading
to better health.
Singapore’s Youth
Forum Envoy Named
SINGAPORE, Dee. M H Miss
Alice Tay, 17, of Raffles Girls
School has been named to repre-
It was indeed, a great pleasure when we
celebrated our first anniversary, but it
was an even greater joy to find our
former customers returning to visit us
when we moved into this new location . •
plus the advantage of making new friends
and customers! We indeed thank you
for your patronage, and hope we will continue to
serve you in the future. ,
Leonard's Will Save You a Trip to Town.
sent school children of Singapore
at the New York Herald Tribune
Youth Forum M New York to
March, 1952. She waa chosen from
among competitors from eight
schools who wrote essays on “The
World We Want".
D «
en from
LEONARD E. DAVIS
dark, snowy night and they wee
watching their flocks on the Beth-
lehem hillside. It seemed as if he.
himself, were there among them
watching He lifted hia head.
Everything seemed to be getting
bright. It could not yet be dawn.
Again be leaned hia head upon his
arms on the desk. The night seem-
ed to be growing brighter all the
while. He was out on the hills
again There were shadowa on the
hillside and there waa a star in the
years. He knew he was out of date.
Rumors had reached him of clam-
or for a younger, more progressive
man. People complained that al-
ways he was looking after some
outcast, or visiting the riff - raff
••across the tracks" instead of vis-
iting his parish and preparing in-
teresting sermons.
He often had thought of resign
Ing. but somehow could not force
himself to do ft "I am no goal
any more," he often mused. He
lived in a single room of the
manse, doing his own housework
and cooking bls meals.
It was Christmas Eve and he had
come to the study in the church to
write his Christmas sermon. It was ...____________________________-
cold and he wore hia old overcoat j the snow to the manse on Christ-
against the chill. He had had a
busy day. There bad been the fu-
neral of the drunk who had stag-
gered across the tracks in front
of The Flyer: and the sick child
he had gone to see in a squalid
home. Also he had been called to
settle a family quarrel, and there
had been a. discouraging meeting
of the church board. No money,
and they were two months behind
on his small salary. He waa late
with hia sermon and it must be
ready by Christmas morning. He
had hoped to have something new
to say, but he decided to use the
old story about the shepherds.
From hia worn Testament he read
Luke’s tale of it. He wrote the text
at the top of a sheet of paper, us-
ing all seven of the thrilling vers-
es But he could get no prayed for
help. Something else was there in
his subconscious mind, other than
sky he had not seen before.
What was that? Singing! And a
voice saying not to be afraid.
Something wonderful waa happen-
ing! Angels! And they were telling
of a child born in a manger down
in the village. Oh, yes! It was the
Christ Child Yes, there he was
and his mother. He was beside
them now They looked strangely
familiar. He had seen their faces
somewhere before. He was all con-
fused. Where was he? In Arcadia
or in Bethlehem? He could not un-
derstand it all. But his heart was
glad, very glad Hia spirit exulted!
When the milkman came through
mas morning, he entered the
minister's unlocked room, as al-
ways he had done, to leave milk in
the icebox. But the minister waa
not there. Instead, a strange
sight! A young woman fast asleep
in the pastor’s big chair, a tiny
baby cuddled in her arms.
Later they found the old man in
the study of the church. His head
was resting on his arms spread ots
upon his desk His eyes were
closed, but on his face was a gleam
of joyous, hallowed ecstasy, as
though he had, seen something
beautiful or had been listening to
sweet music
His arms and face were resting
THE EIGHT Of THE WORLD... THE
LIGHT Of UNDERSTANDING
IN THE HEARTS OF MEN
CAUG
the ma
and du
lene's
are Mi
a sermon.
NOTE UNDER DOOR
Then he remembered! A note
had been under his door when ne
had come in that afternoon
asked him to come and see a sick
old lady who was dying. So the
note said. He had forgotten. It was
not yet too late! It waa only ten
o clock. He lighted his lantern and
went outdoors. A strong wind was
blowing and it waa getting cold.
Biting snow crystals cut his face.
He found the house on the far
€ edge of town and inside a man
and a woman he had not known
before. The woman was dying
ft was plain to see. He stayed
with them a long time telling them
the story of God’s redeeming love,
and giving them the Communion
and praying with them.
It was hard to buffet the wind
and snow when he came out and
it waa getting very, very sold But
Inside his heart was warm. He
waa of aome use, after all
He reached the tumbled steps of
the manse and waa about to enter
when he noticed something in the
corner of the porch that looked like
a human form. Then he beard
what "seemed to be a baby s cry.
“Who is there?" he called. No
answer! He held the lan-
tern high, and there. In the corner
was a young girl of perhaps twen-
ty Wrapped in a blanket, she held
a tiny baby. She looked pleadingly
up to him.
“I mean no harm,” she said,
“only at the Inn they told me you
might help me Will you?"
“Come with me, inside.” He took
the child in his arms and lifted up
the girl inside his little room, he
placed her in his large easy-chair.
It was difficult work to build a
fire, but finally he had the wood
glowing In the cook stove
"Tell me.” he said, when the
loom was warm, "tell me all about
it.”
IN LOVE
"I fear you will think I have
been quite wicked I guess I have
done wrong But I waa deeply in
love with George. We planned to
be married. Then his call to the
Army came suddenly. We had only
two days together and he was
gone I never intended any wrong,
but I loved him and we had plan-
ned a home together when be
eame back. A month before our
child waa born, word came to his
mother that he had been killed at
Anzio. I never told her my secret.
I had saved just enough money for
the hospital, and when they released
me this morning, they told me
there was a preacher la Arcadia
who helped people like me. I hitch-
hiked a ride. I had thought to stay
at the Inn tonight and see you in
the morning, but it was crowded
and I was afraid to go in. They
told me where you lived end 1
came right out here. I gave up
hope when I aaw your place was
dark. I was trying to think what
next to do. when you came.”
“My dear child, don’t worry
any more. Of course I'll help you
You shall stay right here until I
can find a place for you. Cease
being afraid. The loving forgiving
God will take care of you, and I
will be His helper for you. To-
morrow is Christmas you know
Christ’s Day ... a pood time to
make a new beginning. Rest now
and be comforted.”
He bundled her in a blanket
, from his bed, warmed milk and
on a sheet of white paper at the
top of which wag written:
And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding la the
field, keeping watch over their
flock by night.
And, lo the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them;
and they were sore afraid. !
And the angel said unto them.
S ott’s Sunmial crome
and
Chapel of cemoriza
Pete & Mittie H. Elliott
LEONARDS
DEPARTMENT STORE
North Sth at Hickory.
‘Leonard’s Will Save You a Trip to Town"
542 Hickory
Dial 4.4355
M ERRY CHRISTM
TO ALL OUR I
MFR TENDS
LOCAL MOVING
STORAGE
LONG DISTANCE MOVING
NATION-WIDE MOVING
BONDED & INSURED
IN ABILENE SINCE 1918
J. D. MOORE
OWNER
L. A. ANDERSON
. . SUPERINTENDENT
May All Your Days Be Happy And Bright
To All Our Customers We Say "Thanks"
____. To All Our New Friends We Say ‘Welcome"
May We Continue to Serve You In ‘52!
J. D. MOORE TRANSFER & STORAGE
249 CHERRY
PHONE 4-7278
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The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 184, Ed. 2 Monday, December 24, 1951, newspaper, December 24, 1951; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1648763/m1/24/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Public Library.