The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1938-12-22, Page 3THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1038
CHRISTMAS IN YE OLDEN TIMES
Most people think of the Christ
mas as we know it has always been
the Christmas we now enjoy. Yet,
this sacred day has undergone many
evolutions with the passing of the
•years.
. Christmas is, or should be, a day
(Olf -Christian reverence, but with the
growing custom of gift giving, of
greeting cards, of feasting and house
decorations, it is coming more and
more to signify a ‘holiday’ instead
of a Holy Day.
We celebrate the 25 th of Decem
ber—and many believe that that is
the exact date of the birth oif Jesus
—yet, they used to celebrate Christ
mas on the 20th day of May, the
20th and 21st of April and the 6th
of January—depending on whether
they were Oriental, Greek on Roman
Christians.
It wasn’t until the time of Julian
I who. was Bishop of Rome from 337
to. 352 A.D., that the feast of Christi
mas was celebrated on the 25th of*
December. Judian won every Chris
tian faith over to accept December
25 th as the day of the Nativity.
The Druids later added the old
Yule tLiog and the mistletoe.
The Germanic tribes added the
Christmas Tree and later, Kris
Kringle—ndw know as Santa Claus
—the patron saint of the spirit of
the gift.
. Christmas TODAY
Snow and grey clouds. Bundled up
humanity, alternately shivering and
complaining of the state of the wea
ther. Mulitudinous mendicant San
ta Clauses, some lean and hungry,
like Cassius; some stout of paunch
bulbous nosed and rubicund jot coun
tenance.
Heeding the mutter of the boreal
drum,
These patchwork parodies of Santa
oome;
Harried by growling North’s Wind’s
nipping tooth—
Lewd, grizzled age, and dull, malin
gering youth.
Pennies, nickels and other metal
tokens clang into their iron kettles,
while tots murmur to their mothers:
"Oh! Mummy, there’s still another
Santa Claus.” With a jerk the child
sails by, astonished at the fast flee
ing parent and the fourteenth Santa
Claus.
Christmas Trees, artificial snow,
and colored lights by the hundreds.
Noon shopping girls seeking some
small (Oh! very small) remem
brances for their friends.
Decorated stores all bright and at
tractive. Barkers on the corners sell
ing toy balloons and gimcracks. "All
for the ten part of a dollar.”
Oh, it’s very exciting around Xmas,
And wagons stop at >the door;
And the man says "What’s the name,
Please?”
And leaves three packages more.
Perspiring delivery boys, over
worked traffic .police, over-laden
postmen and carbound fat ladies
panting heavily and stacked high
with bundles. And everybody happy!
A happy, carefree, prosperous and
contented people.
"Buy early agitation
Against procrastintion,”
Said Santa’s secretary to Ye Ed,
"You can solve the Christmas strain
here,
Relieve our hard-worked reindeer,
And help our shipping rooms to
get ahead.
"So sweep your chimneys early;
The yearly hurly-burly
Is slated to set in ere many days;
Make haste to hang your stocking,
For later traffic blocking
Is likely bo slow up our auto
sleighs.”
Mt Mi *
CHRISTMAS GREETING
Once upon a time there was a
young man who bought a lot of
Christmas cards and sent them to all
his1 friends and when he had finish
ed, he had one left over. And he
couldn’t think what to do with it but
finally he remembered an Aunt he
had not seen for years and he sent
it to her. Eight years later, she
died and left him her entire fortune
of One Million, Two Hundred and
and Sixty-three Thounsand, Four
Hundred *and Eighty-seven Dollars.
dBad livestock
Phone Seaforth 15, Collect
DAY OR NIGHT
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
Out* drivers ate equipped to
Shoot old or crippled animals
DARLING
and Co. of Canada, Lid.
CHATHAM, ONT.
Moral; STOP—have you forgotten
anybody?
* Ml Mi
Your happiness depends on your
choice of friends.
* * Ml
Fortunately, most of us are more
ignorant than we realize.
Mi Mi Mi
Convictions are habits of thought
acquired from someone wh.o was not
to lazy to think,
Mi Mi Mi
Being a gentleman is like being
happy: if y>ou must try to be, yojx
aren’t,
Ml M< Ml
The faster you travel, the sooner
age will catch you,
Mi M< Mi
GENUFLECTION
Jesus of Nazareth, more than any
■other man who evei* trod this earth,
has been the inspiration of nfen—
thinking men—-men of creative
minds.
Because of Him, this world ^is in
finitely richer than if he had not
lived. Poet, Painter, Writer, ScuI;Pr-
tor and Musician—every man who is
blessed with* the ability and the tal
ent to* express himself, has done his
best work when Jesus, the meekest
of men, was his inspiration.
As long as civilization shall last.
Christmas will Always be a season of
happiness and devotion.
Mi Mi Mi
"But when' to Bethlehem they came
Whereat the Infant lay,
They found Him in a manger
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother, Mary, kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray."
Ml Mi Mi
PRANKISH PROBLEMS
Answer’ to Prankish Problem No. 45
which appeared in this space last
week 120.
Prankish Problem No. 46: Before
a shrine in Southern France, a peas
ant knelt and prayed. He asked the
good Lord to double, the amount of
money he had in his pocket. If this
was done, he would gladly leave $20
he found, to his utter dismay, that
he made his request.
Going to the second shrine he re
peated the same prayer. It was ans
wered and he left another $20. But
the amount in his pocket was
dwindling. Hopelessly, he truged to
the third shrine, made the same re
quest, and when his prayer was ans
wered he donated another $20, but
it was with heavy heart that he dis
covered he had no money left for
himself.
"How much money did the peas
ant have in his pocket when he knelt
at the first shrine?”
(Can you solve this before the
correct answer appears in this space
in our next issue.)
Ml Ml Ml
It is human nature to smile with
those who smile.
Mt M< M<
Success comes to those who not
only know how to make friends but
to keep them.
Mi Mi M<
Christmas cheer springs from the
contemplation of those unseen but
very real possessions, the love of
home, a faith in God, and a desire to
play one’s part nobly and well in
this swift moving drama tof life.
M> Mt $
CHRISTMAS
Time of "peace on earth; good Will
toward men.”
Time of skipping heartbeats for
the kiddies, and shining eyes for the
grown ups.
Time of giving happiness and re-,
reiving love thoughts in return,* * *
This is not I
Who sits
With hands poised
Above the keyboard
Trying to think
Of ail appropriate verse
To end this column
This week.
This is not I
Who strives
To think of
Som-e fitting Holiday theme—
Some happy Yuletide sentiments
To pass along to
My patient and
Ever-suffering readers.
Santa will make his rounds all right and be home in time for
Sunday ’School.
* ****** *
Well, it seems good to have passed another shortest day. We
seem anxious to grow older. 1
**** ****
I
Did you ever see the like of it for weather? Are we to thank
Colonel Drew or Captain Anthony Eden?
****♦«»*
Captain Anthony Eden illustrates the way a good type of
Englishman treats one who differs from him in politics.
* * :|i Mt M< 4 $ $
The gobbler does not like the extra attention paid to him
these days. He has been studying his ancestral tablets.
KM<MiMiM:MiM<Mi
We have had a particularly fine fall. Though there has been
a scarcity of rain, fall work is well in hand and farm prices have
been good.
iK*******
Johnny and Mary welcome the frost and the snow but regret
that the river and the ponds are not fuller of water. Foi’ real
skating fun there is nothing like the open air.
Me Mi Me Me * Ml M< Me
Police have been suspicious of those reports of girls being
"slashed" and have done some realistic investigation. So far a
large number of alleged attacks have proven to be pure fakes.
*Hi*>«*»*<i
AN INVESTMENT
Old Father Time has a way of trimming down the Christmas
lists. Compare the list of 1928 with'that of 193_8 and you’ll get
our meaning. Christmas greetings are an investment paying divi
dends for three worlds—the past, the present, the future.
*#****♦•
AN IMPORTANT JOB
Municipal auditing that is worth a snap consists of doing a
great deal more than adding up a few columns of figures. It is
the auditor’s obvious duty to show if money is wisely expended or
penuriously withheld. The auditors are the public’s examining
committee whose duty it is to report how business is carried on.
It’s a wise man’s task.
Mt******* ,
SPEED AND SUCCESS TO HIM
Premier Hepburn is to take a trip to Australia to study how
that great country got rid of the financial hobbles that threatened
only a short time ago, to ruin the nation in every way.
It is good to come across a public man who is willing to learn.
Better still, it augurs well for a country when its leaders are
content with nothing short of first hand information and genuine
personal observation.
c "I JUST DON’T LIKE IT”
She was a busy, hard working store woman, who knows how1
hard it is to make business "go", who was talking to us. "I know
of families who are getting Three Dollars per week for relief milk
alone. They get, besides, help in the way of meat and groceries
and such. Yet the daughters of that family have all the rouge and
lipstick you could imagine. These same girls sniff if they were
asked to do the work I and my girls do every day. Yet I have to
pay my full share for their support. It isn’t fair.” And we agree.
**»*★•••
"THE THINGS UPON WHICH WE ARE AGREED”
Britons are setting the rest of us a fine example in regard to
the carrying on of public business. Over there each man reserves
to himself the privilege of thinking and of saying the thing he
will. When he has so thought and so uttered himself, there is
one thing he places before everything else and that is the welfare
of the state. There are exemptions to this rule but the patient
loyal, informed tax-paying people know what to do with such char
acters. Quiet-going voters do not care to hear family or party
rows, nor are they particularly interested in watching the washing
of dirty political family linen. Britain is properly called the
mother of parliaments. She, too, is a fine exemplar of party dis
cipline.
THE RIGHT SORT
While many bodies have been deploring the conduct of the
dictators of Europe, the Quakers have got together a body of men
representative of their Society, who, at their own expense, have
gone to Europe seeking audiences with these rulers to make to
them the strongest of all appeals, the appeal of reason and con
science, in the hope that fair play and good will may take the
place of brute force and crass selfishness, unexampled injustice
and cruelty. Such action is away ahead of the summer lightning
practice of some religious bodies who make stirring speeches at
various gatherings, only to walk out with arms akimbo having
done preciously nothing.
********
Every so often we hear people deploring the lack of intelli
gence and vim displayed by municipal rulers. And there is room
forth is complaint. The pity of it is that the proper steps are not
taken for the correction of this condition. Men who can and who
do run their own affairs wisely are the men most needed to give
time and attention to public matters. When efficient men respond
to the call for public service they are almost sure to go unsup
ported and unthanked. The municipal nomination meeting is treat-
as a joke and on voting day the poll is neglected by the very voters
whose best interests may be marred or made thereat. Hence our
slogan this year "Let us nominate and Vote?’
No, that is I
On a distant hill—
The stars swing high,
The night is still
A star more bright
Than all the rest
Calls me to follow—
I seem to hear
The tinkling bolls
Of & gift laden caravan-—
The bleating of sheep,
And low—it is
Two thousand years ago.
THE COLONEL
''Until thy feet have trod the Road.
Advise not wayside folk,"
****•»*»
Hark the herald angels sing.
What will Mitch next do to King?
1|S * I|S # if .* $ *
It helps towards a Merry Christinas to have the year’s work
well in hand.
« * M1 * * * * *
50 YEARS AGO
December 27, 18S8
Sunday dawned auspiciously. The
sun shone with all splendour, the air
was filled with the elements of pur
ity, the roads being wood the suc
cess of the opening of the Trivitt
Memorial Church was assured. Ere
the services began every available
seat was filled. Visitors were present
from all parts of this and adjoining
counties. The beautiful service ..of
m'atins was conducted by the rector
Rev. S. T. Robinson after which
His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Bald
win, Bishop of Huron preached a
very able and impressive sermon.
Mr. A. A. C. Donovan, late mana
ger of the Molsons Bank, now man
ager of a branch at Toronto was in
attendance at the opening of the
Trivitt Memorial Church.
Mr. [A. W. Whiteford,.of Manitoba,
is home spending he Christmas holi
days.
The election for school trustee
took place on Wednesday. Mr. Ver
ity, whose term' expired was renom
inated but declined to again accept
the office, whereupon Mr. Hoskin
was elected by acclamaton.
Mr. M. Parkinson, of Exeter, who
has recently been' engaged in the
Strathroy Collegiate Institute has
resigned and will take a position on
the staff of the Toronto Public
Schools.
Mr. James Down sold two hens of
the Brahma variety the other day,
which when dressed weighed up
ward of twenty pounds.
Mr. James Hodgson Jr., formerly
of Usborne, but now of Palmerston,
spent Christmas at home.
Mr. H. C. Brewer, at one time
manager of the Molsons Bank, Exe
ter, was in town over Sunday and
book his old time accustomed place
in the choir of the Church of Eng
land (now Trivitt Memorial).
25 YEARS AGO
December 25, 1913
Mr. A. Hastings last week sold
Miss Dodds’ house on Andrew street
to Mr. Maxwell, of London Twp.
The officers of Caven Presbyter
ian Sunday School have been elect
ed as follows: Supt., J. H. Scott; as-
*
A “Cough-Cold”
Is Dangerous
Some people get a nasty cough and
do not pay any attention to it,
saying, "Oh, it will wear away m a
short time?1 This is a mistake as
serious injury may be done, to the
bronchial tubes by neglecting the
cough.
You may get rid of the cough on
its inception by using Dr. Woods
Norway Pine Syrup, a remedy that
has been on the market for the past
4§ years.
The T. Milburn Co., Ltd., Toronto, Ont.
UNDER THE MISTLETOE
Her: "What do you think of mistle
toe?"
Him: "It’s the berries?*
Her: "Can you stub a mistletoe?”
Him: "No, but it gives an awful
kick.”
Her; "Is mistletoe expensive?"
Him; "Well, there’s a lot of over
head to it.”
Her: "Is mistletoe really necessary?’
Him: "Most men do their duty with
out it.”
Her: "Anyway, it has brought us
face to face.”
distant, J. Rowcliffe; Librarian* J.
Strang; organist, Jean Seldon;
teach&rs, F. W. Gladman; Miss J.
Murray, Mrs. J. Rowcliffe, J. Grieve,
Miss Strang, Miss Ramsay,, Miss
Dodds, Mrs. Sharp, H. Strang, Mrs.
Hastings and Mrs. McLaughlin.
The Book Club presented Mrs.
Weidenhammer and Miss Edmunds
with a book each last week, prior to
them departure from town. Mr. Wei-
denhammei* and Miss Edmunds were
made the recipients of remembrances
by the scholars and staff of the
school. Miss Edmunds was also made
a presentation by the James Street
choir in recognition of her services.
Mr. Samuel J. Sanders, who* has
been in Saskatoon, Sask., for several
months returned bo his home here
Monday.
Mrs. Ogden, who has been visiting
a few days with her son James in
town left, Tuesday to visit in Clan-
deboye,
Prof. Ruse and wife left Monday
for Bowmanville, to reside. Mrs.
Cobbledick has since moved into the
residence vacated by them on Vic
toria street.
Miss Mary Mark, who has been
confined to the hospital in Toronto
for several weeks with an attack of
scarlet fever has returned to her
home here.
Mr, Boa, of Carsonville, Mich.,
who' is visiting with old friends in
Chiselhurst and Hibbert spent Mon
day with friends in Exeter and with
his brother-in-law Mr. Donald Brint-
nell.
Howard Quackenbush, of the Den
tal College Chicago, is home for the
holidays.
15 YEARS AGO
December 27, 1923
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Rivers and
Miss Ella Leitch, of Edson, Alta.,
Miss J. Rivers, of Buffalo and Mr.
and Mrs. Jack Routledge, of Dutton,
spent Christmas with Mr. and Mrs.
Win. Rivers.
Mr. E. Davis, of the Dominion
Stores spent Sunday with his parents
in. London.
Miss Edith Davis, who has spent
the past two years and a half with
her sister Mrs. G. Cockwell at Glad
worth, Sask., has reutrned bo her
home here.
A live bird shooting match was
' held on the farm of Mr. Thomas
Hunkin, of Farquhar on Friday with
the following results: Percy Pass-
more, 6; t. Hunkin, 7; John Hod-
ger t, 4; Wm. Stone, ‘1; Chas. Coward
5; Jas. Hodgert, 4; John Bray, 2;
Nelson Hunkin, 2; Roy Coward, 4.
The Exeter District Plowmen’s
Association elected the following of
ficers: pres., Matt. Rouble^; let
Vice-Pres,, Wm. Turnbull; Secretary
Wilfred Shapton; Treasurer, Charles
Monteith; Directors* John Passmore,
John Allison, Lou Fletcher, Elgin
Rowcliffe, Enos Herdman, E. J,
Pym, John Campbell, E. J. Shapbon,
Wm. Robinson, Geo. Hunter, Percy
Dunsford and R. D. Hunter.
WOODHAM
Don’t forget the Christmas enter
tainment to be held in the Orange
Hall Friday evening, December 23rd,
Admission 25c. for adults and 15c.
for children.
The White Gift Sunday was ob
served here last Sunday in the. Sun
day School room. iA splendid pro
gram was provided in keeping with
the Christmas spirit. Russel Laing
read the Scripture lesson; Audrey
Johnson gave a splendid reading;
Gertrude Camm favored with a solo;
Mrs. Fred Doupe gave a Christmas
story "Jimmie’s Christmas” and wag
assisted in the singing parts by a
number of little folk, Master Grant
Mills, Audrey and Marion Parkinson,
Marion and Muriel Stephens, Janet
Thompson read a poem and the
White Gifts were gathered and pre
sented at the front, in a large white
decorated basket.
A pleasant evening was' spent at
the parsonage on Tuesday evening
last when the Young Men’s class to
gether with their teachers met for
the purpose of electing officers and
teachers for the coming year. Busi
ness being dealt with the remainder
of the evening was spent in singing
musical numbers and crokinole. At
the close a very dainty lunch was
served.
Mr. and Mrs. Shier, of St. Marys,
were recent visitors at the home of,
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Chatten.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm'. Wilson, Lon
don attended the funeral of the late
Mrs. Sidney Mills on Tuesday of last
week.
Mrs. Orville Cann, of the Thames
Road was a recent visitor at the
home of her brother Mr. James
Squire.