The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-12-23, Page 16I •1
PAGE 4-•—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, TV E SbAY, DECEM 3ElR 23, 1975
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EDITORIAL COMMENT
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Challenge and celebration
Christmas, 1975, comes ,,to a world. that are flowering today in the midst of
that wants '"peace on earth, good will „• ou'r disillusion, Christmas faith; proves
to men.:' But the desires of much of the , that God does act in human history in:
world, including .,our own strife -torn unexpected ways 'and -calls on a
``.- pod uneeftain Canada, stem' more community to join 'his action.
from weariness than from love. This
world expects more from the flights of As realists we know that the home of
Henry Kissinger and the manoeuvres 1, a friend or relative is bricks and
ot Pierre Trudeau than from the flights mortar, wood and nails. It is a ftinc- --
and singing of angels. °° ;rtt nal 'place, iornatnented and • often
What then • are we to make of tilled wrth comfort, but still a func-
•Christrnas this Veal.? tional place that has no real feeling.
To many it is but a pleasant' Legend But all that is changed and takes on
that takes us for a•day or two from the meaning when we realize that a loved
.daily drudgery of trying to make ends one or an old Lfriend lives there. The
meet - a chance to forget how silent walls speak a language of love.
powerless many of lis have become. to Something like that happens to
others,•who treasie the celebration of human history when we remember
human experience, Christmas is a that Jesus Christlived here• The
bonus - an extra occasion, even an cosmos consists of mafter and energy,
extra reason for celebration. as always. People and communities
But Christmas, as Christians un- continue to act with mixed motives.
der -stand it, is neither an idle legend Possibly peace among nations is a
nor a happy plus. It is a challenge to little more likely because of Christ,, but
our human existence. It is an uplifting we cannot be certain of that. Yet when
ot our human existence. It calls for we remember that Christ lived here,
celebration, not because we need a the walls and ramparts of the world
party but because Christmas in reality speak a different language. ,
upsets the life we have designed and ,We can say ai4d believe then that we
changes the reason for celebrating. are about to enter "the year of our
Unlike most of the mystic religions Lord 1976". 1
this
k back
®® Christmas.,I've been for da s Christmas with a tree and the Of course, some of the older
tthinking Y
about thiscolumn• other,, things that make grandchildren will have -
[he National Commander of The comprise our commercially stimulated Traditionally, the Christmas Christmas, it is really very friends of their own to share
Salvation Army in Canada, Com- Celebration ot Christmas. version of. Dear Readers is a beautiful. _ with the family so when the
missioner. Arnold Brown, says Not, says the Commissioner, that we time for expressing personal The Berea -by -the -Water groupr is all together now
Canadians ought to spend less time should teel feelings, and sharing again Christmas tree is a real there could be' as many as 60
g p guilty about .being seri-, my plans for Christmas with vision, thanks to the efforts of of us. It takes a fair amount of
looking forward fro' this coming timental at Christmas. The sending of all my faithful readers. Marilyn Bart, our pastor's turkey and plum pudding to
Christmas and more time looking back cards and the giving ot gifts, so often This year will find some wife. Marilyn has handmade fill them.
to the first 'Christmas. involving a real sacrifice of time and changes in the Keller all the ornaments of white That day is spent in
It they did, he is :certainthat the life- money, keep friendships in repair and Christmas. Times makes and gold. All are Christian visiting, eating, playing
changing message of the Christian• intoxicate children with happiness. changes, whether we want symbols which tell the true cards, eating, opening gifts,
churches would ,fie seen to he totally Christ would not be contemptuous of them or not. People grow meaning of Christmas to eating, rocking babies and
older and apart ... families everyone who sees it. Lit with eating.' It is a true family day
relevant 'to. mbdern man's situation, this. alter as children mature ..,• white lights, it is a sight to with Grandma calling the
and that probably because of the inner former closeness seems to get behold, especially topped off shots, She loves it and so do
strength that would result, the soc.al But with a seriously increasing . pushed into the background with a gorgeous golden grown most of us. • Et ,
services ot The Salvation Army and prison population, with, violence as new ties are made. signifying the King of the On Boxing Day night, were
,other • movements would noticeably multiplying at a horrifying rate,' and Yes, Grandma is still at her Earth, Jesus Christ. expecting company for the
with alcoholism and the non-medical home•in Dashwood, and thank We don't know when we'll weekend. Friends who, also
aecrease. God once again, she is en- have Christmas dinner ••. but formerly lived at Dashwood •r
What is vitally needed, Com -use of � drugs sapping the national joying good health and much we'll work that out•aroundthe who are now esi'd'ing in
missioner Brown asserts, is not en- strength, to cite only .a few of the happiness. But now all 'plans' of the children. One London will be coming to
vironme'ntal improvements, higher nation's social ills, the real message of_. .Grandma's efforts are thing we know for .certain is Goderich to spend some time,
income and more refined standards of Christmas is obviously needed. concentrated, on making the that dinner will have to be with 'us. We haven't done this
Perhaps instead of peeringforward family dinner on Boxing Day over on Christmas. Day in for a good long time• ... and
living, desirable as in some instances P the big event of the season ••• time for our traditional open we're looking forward to it,'
these may be: The chief need is for to Venus, man should take time to look and when you have eight' sons house Christmas Night when But that's a' part o£•
internal rather than external • im-back to that Christmas stagy which and 'three daugh� ers and their the kids are encouraged to Christmas, isn't ' it? It's
provement. It is man himself that , illuminated- a Bethlehem stable in families to prepare for, it is invite their friends over to meeting and greeting old
needs changing. which was born'•the Christ Who is the quite an undertaking. mingle with our friends and, friends ... and spending time
That internal improvement,only;' Hope ,tor mankind, and Whose Those who remember other neighbors. That's a real good with thosee you love.
o the Christmas columns, will evening for the Christmas Love is much a part of
Commissioner feels, can come only love alone,r�an work that inner ,change recall that Christmas Eve glow is still very much alive Christmas. Th y say that love -
from a personal knowledge of Jesus tor good in men's lives and characters. was once a big night at and everyone has a special makes' the world go round,.
Christ, the signiticance of Whose birth In other words the Commissioner Grandma's house. Not so any feeling of peace and joy. but love is so much more than
'is too otten lost in the plethora of•food says, man needs to look backward in more.: Grandma's there + + + that. Love is, after all the
and drink, cards and resentl that order properly to look forward. all right, and she's stili I'll be up early Boxing Day. reason for the world.
P hospitable. But most of her I'•m in charge of roasting one We hear a good deal about
children now spend Christ- of the' big birds that will be love these days. Some of itis
mas Eve and Christmas 'Day served up at the' Dashwood love between a man and
with their own families and Hall at 12 noon on that day ... woman, some of it is love of a
An open ml neeaGrandma is 'the first to admit Grandma's Christmas Party. mother for her children. More
that's the way it should be. So (Between you and me, I don't and more, people are talking
• How merry can Christmas be in the still be offered "with love" and that Grandma Keller usually goes.quite know flow I'm going to about love for the nEighbo or
face ot current inflation, unem-gives one an inner glow. to Christmas Eve service work everything in this love for the hungry. and cold
with her two' sons at Dash- holiday where the cooking is in the depressed areas of the
to meet strikes, Everywhere, too, colorfuill' lights and wood who attend the bi old concerned.) world. A few ter about the
P Y sagging in Y 9 g
vestments, rising crime and similar decorations spread cheer and beauty. Lutheran Church there ... and But at 12 noon, Keller, i`ovt?,of God. -
And anyone ..can enjoy the various tl gets home early to relax families from the area will What is love? Is it a
plays, pageants, ballets and movies with a cup of tea and retire converge on the Community thumping heart when that
hall at Dashwood fora feast special person touches you?
designed tor holiday moods. Even' TV t arly•For my family this and a frolic.Is it an eagerness to give of
mixes in some Christmas specials for Christmas Eve, there will be I thought this year I'd at- yourself to a sick child? A
rel tet trQm the surfeit of crime shows. a Christmas Eve service i_at -tempt to list all the, family for troubled friend? 1. A needy
And ah, the glorious Christmas • Berea -by -the -Water Lutheran you, so you would have a person?
music! How it can inspire us with great Church at 6:30 p.m. That's better idea of the size of this - Of course it is all of those
early of necessity, for the gathering ... and the fun in- things ... but in one word, I
works performed in church and con Pastor of Berea, the Rei. volved. I'll start '.with the would say that love is com-
cert 'halls. While carols- and popular Marvin Barz is filling in at 8 eldest of Grandma's kids and mitment. My dictionary tells
Christmas' songs take a merciless p
and
as pastor at Dashwood work down to the'youngest.) "he that cotnmitment is "an
beating from repetition on the radio while that congregation is There's daughter Ruth and engagement that restricts
anshopping nla in sound systems�+ without a regular minister. her husband Mel, her fcedom of action".
After church, we'll be at - daughters Dorothy,and God is .love, the Bible tells
home fol• the first 'Christmas Pauline and their husands us. And many people will
Eve since Ken and I were Ed and Wayne, her daughter recite those words in con -
married. That will be Ellen and her son Ed.: vection with God• When you
something new. We both have There's son Ken, his wife think about it, there has never
mixed feelings about it Shirley and their children, been commitment like the
sorry that the old things have Randy, Ldri and , Jim; son commitment between God
passed away, excited about Keith, his wife Joyce and and His people. For years and
developing new traditions their sons Warren and years, peop, hake disap-
with our own three children. Wayne; son Elgin, his wife pointed God, mocked 4-lim,
, One thing has been added at Mabel and their • children, neglected Him, rejected Him.
the Keller household since Caroline, ' Mitke, Ed and Yet God is still love to those
last Christmas. That's an Dianne; daughter Mari died who call on His name ... and
organ .,• and I imagine it willseveral years a°go• even those who don't. That's
be put to good use on There's daughter Gloria, truly commitment on God's
Christmas Eve for a carol her, husband Max, their part.
sing. So this year will be a daughter Debbie and her But God isn't a sentimental
year of experimentatioh ... husband Gerry and baby, and slob who is a pushover for a
and I'll have to wait until next• their two sons, Ja ie and sob story, The Bible -tells us
year to tell you how it goes. Junior; there's son Karl, his that, too, He expects tom
Christmas Day is also in ife Marg and their children, mitment from us, too. He
some question at this point. `ick Rob Scott and Tracy; expects us to be perfect.
About the only thing we know son Earl, his wife Kathy and Who's perfect, you ask?
for certain is that we'll be uj3 children Kathy Anne, Ross Nobody's perfect, of
'early to open presents and to,,,,u;,,,:' Course. And God knt.w that
go to church. There's daughter Marlene, from the very beginning when ,.4,',Ry >~e way, in case ou her husband Roland and Adam and Eve were in the
aren't familiar, Berea -by -the- children Rusty, Sherry and Garden of Eden. `That's why
Water Lutheran Church holds Sandy; son•Murray, his wife He promised Christ and
services in Robertson
Memorial School, It is just Pat and their girls, Karen and Christmas to us. That's why
Tammy; son Roger, his wife He sent Jesus into the world
amazing how that gym- Barb and their daughter to live a ' perfect life and
Haslam can take on the ap- Mindy; and On George, his fir;lily die on a cross for the
pearanre of a church for wife Elaine and 4heir sons, mI5i,1,- r .II tic.;God was so
worship' service •.• and at Jeff and Mark. <'omt"''l'i' people that
41
Theyr foIiou'ed the Chrhitiis Star
au
w • • •
Y ♦ 141 �► h
Drawn.-bv Joanne Buchanan
Grade 6, St. Marys School
DEAR READERS
woes?
That will • depend largely on our
'response to the joyful aspects of the
'tS+ule season which are too often taken
tor granted. Maybe we should look at-•'
its traditional observances with fresh
appreciation.
Consider, tor instance,'all the heart-
warming personal encounters that go
with the season. Joyful 'family
homecomings and gatherings, parties,
get togethers with old friends, ,fellow -
workers and various other groups give
our spirits a needed lift. So do
Christmas cards.
true, in this year of strained budgets
gitts may be more modest. But they'll
least they al:l to our festive feeling.
Above all, the ideal antidote to
today's, tensio0ns and anxieties is to
open mind and heart io the original
Christmas message of hope and joy.
A
the eoacrich
SIGNAL—STAR
—0— The County Town Newspaper of Huron —0—
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Founded in 1848 and published every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member o1 the CWNA and
OWNA, Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable In advance $11.00 in Canada, 112,50
In all co'untries other than Canada, singl%, 'les 25 cents. Display advertising rate. -available on
request. Please ask for Rate Card Nors effective Oct. 1, 1975. Second clan's mail 'RegistPation
dumber 0718. Advertising 4s accepted on the condition that, in the el'ent of typographical error,
the advertising. Space oceupled by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance Mr 1'
signature, will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the
applicable rate. in the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong
price, goods or service may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell; and maye with-
drawn at any time. The Signal -Stair, is not responsible ford the loss or damage of unliilicited
manuscripts or photos. -
Business acid Editorial Office
TELEPHONE "1144-11331
area cOde 519
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 220, Goderich
Second class mail registration number -0716
Published by Signal•Star Publishing Ltd.
ROBERT G. SHRIER—president and publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLE12_editor
JEFF SEDDON—editorial' staff •
DAVE SYKES—editorial staff
EDWARD J. BYRSKI—advertising manager
Bo Shirley J. Keller
He became man at Christmas
to be 'perfection ' for us •°' who,
could never be,,perfect.
That's the story of
Christmas: It's alt about love
and the God of love.
Remembering then, • that ,
God is love, 1 Corinthians 13
takes on, a special meaning at
this time of year. It reads: ,
"I may be able to speak the
languages of men and even of
angels, but if I have not love,
my speech is no more than a
noisy gong or a clanging bell.
I may have the gift of inspired
prear-hing; ,I may have all
knowledge and understand all
secrets; I may have all the
faith needed . to move
mountains - but if I have not
love, I am nothing. I may give .
away everything I have, and
even give up my body to be
burned - but if I have not love,
it does me no good.
"Love is patient and kind;
love is not jealous, or con-
ceited, or proud; love is not
ill-mannered, or selfish or
irritable; love does not keep a
record of wrongs; love is not
happy with evil, but is happy
with the truth. Love never
gives up: its faith, hope and
patience never fail,
"Love is eternal. There are
inspired messages, but they
are temporary; there are
gifts of speaking, but they will
cease; there is knowledge,
but it will pass. For' our gifts
of knowledge and'of• inspired
messages are, -,only partial;
but when what is perfect
comes, then what is partial
will disappear.
"When- I was a child, my
'speech, feelings, and thinking
,were all those of a,child; now
I.am a man, I have no more
use for childish ways. What
we see now is like the dim
image in a mirror; then we
shall see face to face. What I
know now is • only partial;
then it will be complete, as
complete as God's knowledge
of me.
"Meanwhile these three
remain: faith, hope, and love,,,,
and the greatest of these is
love.
May God's love surround
you this Christmas and all
Hear through. May you know
is peace; the assurance of
His grace; and the joy of
serving Him ,
Peace on Earth
Paix sur la Terre
Joyeuses Fetes
Happy Yuletide
Be a Reid Cross
Blood Doni r
MOORING BACK
'80 YIARS AGO'
The celebrated ' cosgrAve
company,, which appeared'1n
Goderich some years ago,
having been strengthened
and improved will appear in
M.cLean's Opera House on
Friday and Saturday of this
week: Wherever they have
appeared_, the press has
spoken highly of their per-
formance, as witnessed by
the'Quebec Daily Telegraph.
"If we were to attempt ,to
mention any one more par-
ticularly taking place, we
would have to publish the
whole program. We,,, can only
say that such a company of
artists rarely visits Quebec,
The Canadian Gazette:
"Goderich is a go-ahead
Ontario lakeside town with
abundant faith in its own
future. But faith without
works is a poor thing, so they
have created a Citizens'
Committee, and it will be
seen from the communication
we publish thisweek from
doctor Alex McD. Allan, that
this committee has very
practical notions about what .
it can offer to British
capitalists. The committee
places .its correspondence
and services gratuitously at
the service of all who wish
information and we can quite
believe that M,r.,Allan has hit
upon two excellent openings
for those who have capital
and a knowledge of the cider
and soda trades, They cer-
tainly .merit inquiry by the
enterprising.
The rush to press this week
has crowded out a great deal
of excellent mews material.
Better luck next time!
Why doesn't oar town
codncil take up the question
of getting a better water
supply for fire purposes? We
are'not in a position now to
turn the hose on a foreign • 1
invader if he happens to
strike this way.
60YEARS AGO
From all accounts
Christmas trade in Goderich
has been ex4reptionally 'good.
The stores are very at-
tractively stocked' and
decorated, and there have
been large crowds of shop-
pers. The merchants are
reaping, the harvest of their
liberal advertising of the last
week or two _
The program for Mrs. G.H.
King's recital at North Street
Methodist Church next
Monday evening promises an
evening of delightful en -1.
tertainment. Mrs. King will
be assisted by Miss Dorothy
Chilcott, "elocutionist, of
Toronto, and Miss Lasca
Elliott, pianist, of town. A
'silver collection will be taken.
There should be a large• at-
tendance.
The dance given at Odd -
fellows Hall Wednesday
evening by the Collegiate
Institute students proved to
be a very entertaining affair.
A large number were in at-
tendance including some ex-
' students and friends of the
'students. The Blackstone
Orchestra prtovaled the
music. ' A dance for ex -
students is arranged for next
Wednesday evening. -
YEARS AGO ,
The Krohmer subdivision
was approved by Council at
the urging of . Couns. Paul
Carroll and E'd Glesbrecht,
The move climaxed several
weeks of discussion of the
product which had resulted in
the confusion in council, over
certain points. Council
decided to 4pay for the road
allowance Mr. Krohmer
would pay for services inside
the project and the town and
Mr. Krdhmer would pay 5Q
percent , of , the costs of ex-
tending the -set vices,
Some confusion resulted
from the Goderich Signal -
Star carrying a proclamation
by the town stating Monday,
December 28 is Boxing Day
and an advertisement stating
stores Will be open Monday,
December 28. To clarify
things we would like to inform
our readers it is accepted
polity , ,for municipal
government in Canada to
proclaim the first working
day after, Christmas as
Boxing Day, Monday this
year. Business premises,
however, are not bound by the
proclamation and many
prefer to close Saturday to
give their staff a longer break
over the holiday. Some
stores, as a result, will be
open Saturday and,,some will
not. Some will be open
Monday and some Will he
closed. It's just one of those
awkward years,