The Independent-News, Volume 92, Number 30, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 22 December 1966 — Page 18

— THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - DEC. 22, 196 b

18

Backwards To Christmas Did you Know that Christmas was n<>t widely c< b bratfd until long after Christ's death? Its a fact! There ta no record of Anyone celebrating Christ's birthday until 400 years after He died. At that time, in Rome, an imperia) edict included Christmas (with Easter and Epiphany) among the three feaals on which theatres must be..closed However, before this time, there was a great deal Os contention regarding the birthdatp of Christ. Various authorities claimed it was January 6th. March 25th and December 25th. ™IOPb * ■ • S •■CW.IWC, Tl ll ts HT CBStHHR: bttt wkiet far a happy MMay. Mil mt frintfships CMtiMM. Lloyd Clark Insurance

HXKftftZ 4 a ys~ *-^A-—•* 8 XT^MA Jm s ■ i * D^pifWTk x * X * fflßrV* 4L> j ■ X I ' IMr* tSS^ 'aC 1 Xhma ® I r r 3Sik z^Wel> I '- * ■ fat-Mfr ■■» UMh*^ x^ems * • I < i<r ; ,I^< - 8 r . Sr s “ R X % i R q»v . < <BV?wU ; MAY HAPPINESS LIGHT UP ? 1 YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON! IT’S A PLEASURE TO WISH OUR FRIENDS THE BEST. * I ’ I I Fanners State Bank Os Wyatt ? | Wyatt — Walkerton j I I

Today. it wouldn't really matter what day we celebrate Christmas. As the noted theologian. Dr. Oswald Hoffman, has pointed out to the 30 million listeners of his I^utheran Hour radio talks, "We do not argue about whether He was actually born on that day, for we celebrate the fact that Jesus was bom and now in Lord and Bitinuaieß were unimportant 2.000 wars ago. We do not know the birthdate of any of the famous people of that period No mention is made in the New Testament of the observance of Christ's birthday by the early church; in fact, Christians were exhorted to remember His death even more than His birth. Why. then, did December 25 come to be celebrated as Christ's birthday? Because many of the earth's inhabitants were once sunworshippers, since the course of their lives depended on the sun's yearly round in the heavens. Feasts were held to mark its return from distant wanderings. tn the south of Europe, in Egypt and Persia, the sun gods were revered with elaborate ceremonies at the season of the solstice. In northern lands, too, the middle of December was a critical time, for the days became shorter and shorter, the sun weaker and weaker. So these ancient people held feasts at the same period that Christmas is now observed. They built great bonfires to give the winter sun god strength and 'o bring him back to life again. Thus, the central idea of the winter solstice - the return of light - made it a "natural" for a n- w Christian feasts celebrating th' hope of the world in the birth of Christ, the IJehi of the world. In his Christmas radio message. the Lutheran Hour’s Dr. Hoffman tells his listeners, "From that little manger in Bethlehem, the light • f the knowledge of the glory -f God-has gone out to earth's farthest reaches. It is all there in the face of Jesus Christ. Fr im that day to this, no one in this wade world of ours need be in tl • dark about God — not if he ha- any way at all of knowing h-iut Jesus Christ.” The exact day >id year of Jesus' birth have n« r been satisfactorily settled. 1 ,t when the

fathers of the Christian Church, in 440 A. D., decided upon a date to celebrate, reluctantly chose the day of the winter solstice which was firmly fixed in the minds of the people as the most important festival up to then. “The Son of God was made man,’’ says Dr. Hoffman. ’That is why we keep Christmas: the Son of God was made for us all, to make every’ day a new day of genuine love and service toward God as well as toward everyone with whom we live and work. Jesus Christ is Lord, and that makes everything right.” As Dr. Hoffman tells his Christmas Lutheran Hour audience, 'This is what gives us our Christmas: not the trees, the lights, the ribbons, the candles, the gifts, or the greeting cards - but the incarnation of the Son of God.” This then is the Christmas story, Dr. Hoffman tells us. And what a story it is! "The Son of God made man -a man like any other man, hemmed in by life, not the master of His own soul. . If there is any difference between Jesus Christ and us who are men like Him. it is this: He took it all obediently, willingly, gladly! For us He lived the life of a servant, for us He died the death of a slave. Because He did it all for us, the Father has given Him a name that is above every name. "The Son of God was made man. Thia is the heart of the raitn Wie apostles invited people of their time to hear.” And as everyone pauses and reflects upon Christmas for new meaning for today, the story is told again, “not as a beautiful legend from the distant past, but as the good news of what really happened when Jesus was born. For the whole world is changed because Jesus was born!" Basketball Teams Are Idle Both the North Liberty Shamrocks and the John Glenn Falcons will not see action on the hardwood courts again until after New Years. The heavy part of the schedule will come after the holidays with plenty of games plus the Bi-County and Sectional toumies yet to be played. One thing mother must save for a rainy day is patience.

« I 5 ~ r I Season’s 5 WA-JSfc I SW^ r« • &*ji I | W „ „ | Greetings I J I I I v ! g GiristmaA To Our Friends J w, „.. y W t « ~ H..C .p w .. a,H.^ B v. .. . ^ 8 V are Mill plenty of holiday traditions that we do enjoy. One of them is taking time out to extend a hearty Season’s Greeting to you and your family . . . and Sto sincerely thank you for your patronage during the paat years. Indeed you $ have enabled our business to grow and have inspired us to continue to serve you to your satisfaction ... in the finest way wr know throughout 1967 and X many mr» to come. X « X « X May your Holiday Season Im* filled with Joy and fellowship ... and may your New Year and jeara to come bring prosperity and contentment. That’s the sincere wish of AM of us at X I R I R 1 R » POWELL-MANN CHEVROLET-OLDSMOBILE CO. « « 4 4 I X R

PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Local Alcoholic Beverage Board of St. Joseph County, Indiana, will, at 10 a.m. on the 28th day of December, 1966 at the Commissioner's Room, Court House, in the City of South Bend, Indiana, in said County, begin investigation of the applications of the following named persons. requesting the issue to the applicants at the locations hereinafter set out, of the Alcoholic Beverage Permits of the class hereinafter designated and will, at said time and place, receive information concerning the fitness of said applicants, and the propriety of issuing the permits applied for to such applicants at the premises named: AMERICAN LEGION POST 297, by John H. Barnhart, Mgr., (Club) Beer, Liquor & Wine Retailer, R. R. No. 2. New Carlisle, Indiana. THE A. * P. TEA CO., by M. G. Worden (Grocery) Beer * Wine Dealer, 2102 South Michigan, South Bend. Indiana. HOWIE'S TAVERN. INC., by Howard Evans. Pres., & Mary Evans. Sec., Mishawaka. Indiana (Restaurant i Beer & Wine Retailer, Five Points, Indiana Unincorporated (P .O. 56629 Mayflower Rd., South Bend Ind.J SOUTH BEND SHRINE CIA 18. by G. Hlcnutd Green, Pres.,

PuitM [f^A 30Y to Good wishes from our entire staff. McKesson's TV , Walkerton

1515 East Wayne St., (Club) Beer, Liquor & Wine Retailer, 107 Lincoln Way East, South Bend Indiana GLEN K. & FLORENCE W. WATSON & NETA STEPHENS (Drug Store) Liquor A Wine Dealer, 135 East Michigan St., New Carlisle. Indiana DON’S DRUGS, INC., by Donald Bruce Cruickshank. Pres., and Shirley Cruickshank, Sec., 80410 Mtamr Rd (Drug Store) Beer, Liquor ft- Wine Dealer, 392# Lincota Way West, South Bend, Indiana LANES CAFE, INC., by Mitton E. AnderKon Prea., and Caldonia M. Anderson. Sec., R. R. Walkerton, Indiana (Restaurant i Beer A Wine Retailer, 603 South State St., North Liberty, Indiana HAROLD J. A MARGERY I. MARKS (Package Store) Transfer Beer, Liquor & Wino Dealer permit from John A. Makowski, 108 West Washington St., South Bend, Indiana S/’D INVESTIGATION WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS REQUESTED. INDIANA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION By W. F. Condon Executive Secretary Joe A. Harris, Chairman Our Classifieds - Only 75c.