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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1963)
j EcL?J ill! PAGE 6-C HERALD AND NEWS, Klamath Falls. Oregon Tuesday, December 24, 1963 A Child Shall Lead Them mMh imrtmM, Jan. , . . And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the falling together; and a little child shall lead them Isaiah .... 11:5-6. ; On this eve of Christmas, harsh words are outlawed and even the discord of the ; daily life appears to be in harmony as the : spirit of Christmas rules the earth. ; While Sherman tanks and all the atomic ' . power of the West could not be brought to bear to blast a hole in the ugly concrete pris on wall that the Communists have erected around East Berlin, the spirit of Christmas has caused even the Godless-professing Reds to make a path through the barrier that West Germans might spend Christmas with tlteir : captive brethren behind the wall. In Jerusalem where the holy temples lie and where Israel and Jordan face each other over barricades, the spirit of Christ has brought calm and peace as a truce of the moment permits Christians to cross over to honor the Christ Child on his birthday. In these far-off places where hatred has triumphed over brotherly love for so long there is a peace for the season by tacit con sent of both factions. Overtones Of Sadness Christmas this year is inevitably tinged with sadness for Americans, as Indeed it is for men of 'good will the world over. The shock that followed the sudden, brutal murder of President Kennedy just over a month ago had to subside in the face of practical affairs and daily routine. But the sickness at heart engendered by that dread ful event will remain with most of us for the rest of our days. Since we cannot unmake history, il only remains that we try to learn from history. If any good can come from the death of Hit's brilliant leader, It is that his fellow country men will put aside their petty regional and political differences and choke off the evil weeds of hate springing up in every part of the country from seeds scattered carelessly in previous years. ( I" one other November, 100 years ago, Congress Shows A Defiant Mood By DORIS 1TEESON WASHINGTON - A veteran Congressman surveyed (he House as it sought to clean up at least a few chines before Christmas and revealed his con sidered opinion that "a rattle snake would have to light h i s way up that center aisle." Ho was describing a defiant mood rather than a specific contest. All of Congress h a s been criticized for its no-saying, its infinite delays, its shabby scandals, its indifference to in ternal reform. The Senate Is not happy about it, but a spirit of willing ness to try again ami seek change Is evident. The House, in contrast, is bitter and ob sessed. From tlie Speaker to the subcommittee chairman, it Is defensively proclaiming Its eternal Tightness, its defiance of critic and questioner. A small issue shows h 0 w harshly it is prepared to treat the rare few of its own mem bers who MipHn the critics. Rep. Arnold Olsen, a Demo crat now in his second term, is from Montana, which is show ing a marked conservative trend. Both he and Senate lead er Mike Mansfield face hard fights there for reelection next fall. It was doubtless too much to expect that Olsen could get the House In its present temier to approve tlie? Know les power project w hich, lie argued, would relieve economic sUingencies in Montana. He did have the right to (lunk that his fellow-Democrats, with their 32 majority, and their leaders wxuld help him make a showing. What he got was 41 votes out of 370 present and voting. His erimei Jle Is a member of the Democratio study p-oup which supports internal reform of th House, Such jettisoning of tlie nor mal custom whereby members help a fellow member of their party to look good, or even cross parly lines in a bow to a well liked Congressman, may be only a passing mood. If it is not, the prospect for a record President Johnson can run on next fall is dim indeed. Advocates of civil rights and tax cuts are certain to return to the arena Willi renewed en ergy next year. Powerful voices with convictions aliout the unsat isfactory stato of the Presiden tial succession and the dead hand of seniority will not be cured of their beliefs by mere defiance. President Johnson may be able to take the House and Sen ate along with him, but he will be unablo by reason of his own 'We Have Seen His Star' v9&aL In this country the consuming spirit of self-centered greed, envy and bitterness drains out of each of us and is replaced with a warm, glowing concern for our fellow men. Unfortunates find people on every hand quick to share with them their worldly pos sessions. 'Tis the Christmas season and hap piness permeates the air and takes posses sion of our mind and hearts. While all the earthly powers that man can muster can do little to change his in ward self, the spirit of a child, born this day almost 2,000 years ago, has the power to change everything. Man finds a new inner peace, a new consideration for others, a new feeling to ward his fellow man. Regrettably, it is only for a time. What a wonderful, glorious world it would be if the spirit of the Christ Child would prevail in our hearts and our minds every day in every way. For then would mankind possess the greatest of all gifts, the one that the Angels promised from on high that night so long ago when Jesus Christ was born . . . the promise of "Peace on earth and good will toward all men." Abraham Lincoln spoke briefly at the site of one of the awfulcst battlefields of the then raging Civil War. With the blood of the fal len scarcely dry on the Gettysburg .fields, he called for a rededication to the principles upon which the nation had been founded. With the death of John F. Kennedy still fresh in our minds, perhaps the nation can again experience a new birth of freedom or, at'least, perhaps we the living can take new determination to proceed toward the realization of the American dreams of justice and the right to a good life for all men. What better time than Christmas to re flect seriously on the events of the past month and thereby resolve that it should not all have been in vain, just as those who followed the One whose birth is celebrated today gained strength and purpose from the sacrifice made for them. political necessities to go along with them either. Republicans, whatever their own contribu tions to his difficulties, can lie expected to campaign harshly against his failures. Unless a very substantial change of temper prevails fair ly soon in the next session, the President will need to contem plate some changes of his own. Jle was a masterful parliamen tary leader wiUi a moderate President of the opposite par ty in office. The task of being an effective President himseli, with his own party heavily in control of the legislative branch, is something else again. A Congress, the House par ticularly, which docs not dare or care to challenge its en trenclieil leaders Is not his best lfst omen. Like The By DON OAKLKV The jolly ghost of Christmas Present trails a pleasant cara van in his wake: the Christmas traditions of a score of lands some centuries-old, some recent which the passage of the years has blended into that wonderful, varicolored, bright mosaic we call, simply, Christ mas. It is difficult to trace some of these traditions back to their beginnings because of the modi fications they have undergone over the generations. Also, sim ilar customs may have come into being independently in dif ferent countries so that it is im possible to say which is the "original." Here, briefly, is what we know about a few of them: Santa Claus, of course, has a long line of forebears, going all the way back to the origi nal St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in what is now Turkey. In the Jate 3rd and early -tth centuries A D. he became fa mous for his generosity and habit of distributing presents anonymously to the poor. Eventually, the St. Nicholas The (Author of this story was a lulled Press correspondent In Salzburg, Austria, in 1950 w ho had occasion to do exten sive research Into the origin of Ihis Christmas song. Fdi tor.) By ERIC tifcltiElt More than 140 years ago. on Christmas Eve of 1818. a young Austrian village priest was on his way from a small hut in the mountains where he had been called to christen a new born infant. Passing by rocky slopes and ice-coated ravines, the ncwly.nr dained priest fell strangely moved. As the stars guided his way tluough the night, he kept thinking of tlie small child who had just received his priestly blessing. Tliere was Utile resembl .nice between tlie wooden hut he had just k-ft and the manger of the litllc Jesus, but somehow it seemed to him as if the Christ mas miracle had just happened before his eves. Back in the small .stud v. alter solemnizing Christmas Mass. he sat down lo put on paper what had happened to hun It proved an easy task. The words kept turning into erse. and when dawn broke, tin- priest h.nl written a poem. He didn't know llvn, and nov er did in ail li is life, that this little poem was to become one of the most beloved Christmas carols in (lie world Father Joseph Moiir. a mod est village pi lest, was the cie ator of "Silent Night, Holv Night." Later in the day lie !! tlie poem to ins friend Franz timber, tin? grtvl-naiuicl. c.isv going village s h o o I teacher who also served as the church organist. The teaclier read it once, and Uh'n a second lime, Greatly moved lie said: "Fatlier. this u just tlie Cnristmus song we need for tonight- nuiss. Just leave tlie tiuie to me " So on Cliristmas Dav, mm one of tlie greatest Christmas hvmns oi ail time li.nl its w-orld premiere m Die small church of Oberndorf, near Salz burg, Austria, sojig by a school c'hui . accompanied bv a putar since tlie church (Vjjan h.,d I voKen dow n " - W Jiff IrFmtWw Three Kings - Yule Customs Come legend was brought lo the New World by the Dutch, who called him Saint Nikolaas whence "Santa Claus." In 1822, Clement Moore took out a poet's license and in his "A Visil from St. Nicholas" added a number of character istics to tlie elf. No one has ever complained about what he did. Later, the famous cartoon ist Thomas Nast helped fashion the picture of Santa as we en vision him today. Every girl knows what must follow from her proximity to a piece of hanging misllcloc. But to the primitive Britons and their Druid priests, mistletoe was believed to have the magi cal power to heal disease, neu tralize poisons, protect from witchcraft and bestow fertility. If a couple plighted their froth and sealed it with a kiss under tlie mistletoe, they would have good luck and live happily ever alter. The exchanging of Christ mas cards is the most recent of our customs, and the only one to have grown into a year round industry only incidentally connected with Christmas. Story Of out several years were to pass liefore the song became known outside Austria. For Father Mohr and his friend Franz timber, this was of little importance. They were plain and humble men who never in tended to, and never did, earn even one penny from their song. One day a visiting organ builder from the neighboring Tyrol, who had come to repair their ailing instrument, heard ti ruber playing the new Christ mas melody. lie listened quiet ly and then asked "Where did you gel that song? I have nev er heard it." Tile teacher smiled, but said nothing. In the valley where the old instrument-maker lived, word of the new Christmas song spread quickly, the children learning it first. And because none of them knew who had written it, they called it "Song from Heaven." A glove-making family lived in the valley, who once every year, toured various (airs to ex hibit their wares. They also dou bled as minstrel singers, and of ten gave impromptu concerts of Tyrolean folk songs in front of llioir stand. At one of these informal con certs at tlie famed Leipzig fair they King tlie "Song from Heaven." introducing it as a "Tyrolean folk song of unknown origin." A local concert impresario in tlie crowi invited tlie Tyrolean group to appear as special guesl artists at a concert lie was ar ranging. "I am particularly interested in that Christmas song of yours." he told them. , When the glovemakers ar rued at the concert hall, they discovered tlie king and queen of Saxony were in tlie audience. The Tyroleans sang their gay. happy songs and earned consid erable applause. At the end of the program (hey joined in the unknown folk song "Silen t Night." Vt hen they had (unshed, (here was a hush in tlie bail, (lien liHukierous applause broke loose. They Iwd lo give an encore Tlwn a courtier arrived back stage to inform them the king ami queen wotiM receive them m ihe royal box. The first Christmas card was devised and posted in London in 1846 by one Sir Henry Cole, public spirited gentleman. His first card was a crude litho graphed affair, sent out lo 1,000 recipients. The custom spread, and in a few years quite elab orate cards were all the rage. In the 117 years since that first card, though, no one has improved upon Sir Henry's in scription: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." The Yule log is remembered only symbolically today, for mother wouldn't abide dragging in a log over her wall-to-wall carpeting, even if she had a fireplace. The custom originated in Scandinavia, where a huge log was set afire to honor Thor and to mark the time of the winter solstice. In many parts of Eu rope, bringing in the Yule log is still a big event of the year. Traditionally, it is set alight by a fragment from the previous year's log. According to one s t o r y, Christmas stockings go all the way hack to St. Nicholas of Creation Of 'Silent N From that day on the "Song of Heaven" struck out on its own and spread all over the land. Soon people everywhere in Northern Europe sang the song of Father .Mohr and Franz Gru ber at their Christmas celebra tions. The soag continued to travel across oceans and continents. No, Virginia, tliere is no San la Claus. Tliere is no ruddy fat man with merry eyes and a white beard, who comes dow n t h e chimney at night to reward lit tle boys and girls for being good.f Because, you see. Virginia, all over tlie world there are m i 1 lions of little boys and girls who have been as good as good can he but they get no lovs and sometimes they awake on Christmas morning without enough food to eat. Tliere 'arc fathers and moth ers. Virginia, who have been appointed by God to love their children and they give them love, althouch they cannot al ways give them presents. And these mothers and fa tilers, Virginia, arc more won derful and magical and myste rious than Santa Claus could ever be They bring something infinite ly more precious than dolls and trains to their children thev bring the mark of Cod s love down to every boy and girl. And. sometimes, even tliese fathers and motliers are taken away. But there are others in Ihe world, divinely touched, who look after these chiklren and share with them their meager possessions. Compared with this miracle of care and tenderness, Santa Claus is a pale figure of fan tasy. For he. you see. only re wards boys and girls who have been 'good." But in the eyes Myra. The good bishop was de livering some gold to three worthy but penniless maidens in need of dowries. That night, the girls, coming in from the rain, hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. Quite by chance, Nicholas' bag of gold, tossed into the room, fell into one of the stock ings. By such fortuitous juxtaposi tions of events is t r a d i t i o n made. "Wassail" meant, loosely. "Here's to you." and it was how (hey greeted one another in iMorric Olde England prefer ably with strong and heady brew. Kor some obscure reason, the custom, and the strong and heady brew, are still popular. Anthropologists would trace the Christmas tree back to an cient, pagan Europe, when trees were worshiped. The Egyptians, Jews and Romans also employed trees as festive decoration. More recent legend has it that Martin Luther originated the first lighted parlor Christmas nee. it remained almost e.xclus- Today "Silent Night" is at home in the vast jungle of the Ama zon as much as in New York City or some small French vil lage. I t was first translated into English by an Irish priest. Rev. Stepford Augustus Brooke. Since then "Silent Night" has become one of the most popular and STRICTLY PERSONAL of God, and parents, all boys and girls are truly good at heart. Presents at Christmas are fun, of course, but do you imag ine. Virginia, that the children Al manac By I'nitcd Press International Today is Tuesday, Dec. 24. the 338th day of 13 with seven lo follow. ' The moon is approaching its full phase. Tlie evening stars are Jupiter Saturn and Venus. On this day in history: In 1814. a treaty of peace was signed between the I'nitcd States and Great Britain, at Ghent, Belgium, bringing an end lo the War of 1812. In 1871. Verdi's opera "Aida" was premiered in Cairo. Egypt. In 11M3, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the ap pointment of Gen. Dvvight Ei senhower as the commander-in-chief of Allied forces in the planned invasion of Europe. In 1S3I. the I'nitcd Nations proclaimed the North African nation of Libya free and inde pendent. A thought for the day The Prophet Isaiah foresaw tlie birth of Christ and predicted: "Behold, a virgin shall coi ceive. and bear a son. And shall call His nam Jesus." From Afar ively a German custom until the 19th century. Since then it has completely conquered the . Western world and is. perhaps, our must cherished Christmas tradition. A related custom, decking the halls with boughs of holly, conies from England. In olden times, unmarried women were wont to fasten a sprig to their beds for luck. It is to Italy that we turn for the origin of the Christmas creche, first fashioned in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi to dra matize the Christmas story to illiterate peasants. St. Francis, too. is consid ered to be the father of (he Christmas carol. The word it self gives an idea of the cir cumstances of its origin. It comes from the Old French and means "to dance and sing." Gifts, of course, have been given by all peoples in all times. Sentiment, however, ascribes Christmas giving to the first Christmas in Bethlehem, when wise men from the cast brought rare presents of gold and frank incense and myrrh and laid them at the feet of the new. born Christ child. Moved Christmas carols in all English-speaking countries. And this year again the song will be sung. The simple melody will sound as beautiful sung by the rough, untrained voices of Oregon lum berjacks as it will chanted by the elfin voices of little Chinese girls. with the most presents are tlie happiest When there is little love in a home, there is little merriment and without merriment, the doll is dust and the train is tin. All over the world, on Christ mas morning, children will be waking up without a visit from Santa Claus or with a gift you would hardly look at, an orange, an extra slice of bread, a frayed piece of string. Yet if there is someone who loves them, who frolics with them and heals them, thov have a greater gift than any fat man in a light red suit could pos sibly bring them. Tliere are fathers who work for their children, mothers who sing to their children, and God who gives fathers the strength to work when they are weak, and mothers the spirit to sing when they are sad. No. Vir ginia, there is no Santa Claus -there does not need lo be. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q How long do sponges live? A-Some spe, ies live only for a year or even less, but some live to :o to 50 years. ft In whit year did Gener. al John J. Pershing recelva be PuNizw Bine too History? iqht' 1V2.
