10—Laacastar Famine, Saturday, April 14,1979
Those puffs of rctdiaiion may have made
as well as our shortcomings. If Three Mile Island taught us anything,
should simply be that God’s creations are fragile and need to be respected.
After much negative publicity
regarding the nuclear mishap on
Three Mile Island, it was thrilling to
hear a White House proclamation
last week which emphasized that
Pennsylvania’s agricultural products
areas safe as ever. That’s the kind of
boost we needed to regain the
confidence of consumers, some of
whom were questioning the
wholesomeness of the foods they,
buy. This thoughtfulness , from
President Carter deserves a sincere
thank you and a note of praise.
Also speaking on the farmers’
behalf was Governor Thornburgh
who spoke reassuringly even after
minute traces of iodine were found in
milk. Cautious in his approach from
the very beginning, the Governor
provided information tempered with
reason rather than emotion. This isa
credit to him, as well as cabinet
officers who worked closely with him
throughout the ordeal. Secretary of
Agriculture Penrose Hallowed and
Secretary of Environmental
Resources Cliff Jones certainly need
to be included in any notes' of praise
and thanks.
Continuing with the distribution of
bouquets, thanks once more to
President Carter for indicating that
there is reason to suspect that the
news media overreacted to the
events on Three Mile Island. That’s
the consensus of quite a few people
and for President Carter to make a
statement to that effect is indeed
newsworthy.
EASTER’S
“THEREFORE”
Lei son for April 15, 1979
Background Scripture:
1 Corinthians 15.
Devotional Reading:
1 Corinthians 15:51-58.
TO PROCEED NORMALLY
The recent nuclear
situation at Three Mile
Island will be a topic for
discussion for months to
come. It is easy to un
derstand that many gar
deners and farmers will be
concerned about the amount
of fallout in the soil;
numerous phone calls at our
Extension Office have
inquired about their Spring
plantings. To the best of our
knowledge the radioactive
fallout has not been to the
extent of causing any danger
And certainly, thanks to all - above
all, God - for seeing us through the
situation safely. Hundreds of people
dedicated countless hours towards a
solution of the problem, and while we
can’t name them, none should be
without our respect.
forget that no one was seriously
injured as far as is known. Not a soul
was lost, and despite the in
conveniences and genuine concerns,
tangible property damage outside of
Three Mile Island appears to be
virtually non-existent.
That’s not that the radiation
leak was nothing to be concerned
about.
But let us not forget that we have
much to be thankful for. And yes,
let’s remember that we had much
reason for gratitude long before the
unfortunate accident on Three Mile
Island.
Those puftiTbf radiation may have
made us more aware of our
Some years ago I saw a
church bulletin board with
the pastor’s Easter Sunday
sermon title: “Christ Is
Risen! ” Someone had used a
piece of soap to write on the
glass this response: “SO
WHAT?”
Actually, it was a rather
appropriate question.
Perhaps we have too often
proclaimed Christ’s
resurrection without spelling
out sufficiently the “so
what?” that goes with it. Is
the resurrection simply a
happy ending for the gospel
story, or is it an event that
has some lasting effect upon
our lives?
to our crops. The monitoring
teams have been very active
and have not found amounts
more than normal.
Therefore, I’d suggest that
we proceed with our Spring
plantings as in former years.
The advertising that con
demns Pennsylvania
products, because of the
nuclear situation, is
regrettable and without
facts.
TO BEWARE OF
WILD GARLIC
The pasture season is
approaching when many
herds and flocks will be
grazing. This is the time
when dairymen must be
very careful about off
flavored milk. Milking cows
should be kept off lush
In the final analysis, let us not
This Life Only?
Paul realized that the
foundation of the Good News
is the resurrection of our
Lord and what that event
means for us. There are
people today who assume
that they can have a
Christianity without having
to accept the resurrection.
But Paul knows that without
the resurrection, there is no
Good News. So, to the
Corinthians, he wrote: “If
Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is in vain
and your faith is in vain ...
Then those who have failed
asleep in Christ have
perished. If for this life only
we have hoped in Christ, we
pastures at least four Pours certainly produce onion
before the milking period. If flavored milk and be the
the area contains wild reason for rejection. These
garlic, milking cows should areas should be grazed by
not be grazed. This will dry cows or young stock.
RURAL ROUTE
mmore
blessings,, as well as our short
comings. If so, it’s a mark in our
favor.
Perhaps we will all be a little wiser
for what happened on Three Mile
Island during the first weeks of
Spring 1979. Scientists, and even
you and I will undoubtedly learn
something from it. Man has a history
of learning from his mistakes and
overcoming ignorance. That trend
didn't end in the Susquehanna River.
The escalator towards more
knowledge will c6ntinue to move and
regardless of whether one is for or
against nuclear power, the wheels of
progress will continue to turn. Where
it will all end is a source of wonder
and sometimes even fright. But it
would be wrong, I think, to focus all
our fears on a nuclear reactor.
Admittedly, I shudder to think
what radiation could do to my
children. Heaven forbid that anyone
be harmed by it, from whatever
source. But I’m even more con
cerned about the destruction - both
mental and physical - that’s
represented by people hooked on
drugs and alcohol and the greed for
money. While mankind may have
harnessed the atom, he has not
conquered the roots of evil which are
known to destroy body, mmd, and
soul.
And cigarette smoke - that stuff is
pure murder to a lof of peoples’
throats and lungs!
are of all men most to be
pitied” ‘ (15:14,18,19). The
Gospel, he says, rises or falls
on the resurrection.
If life is to have any
meaning, there must be
something beyond this
earthly. existance.
Theologian John Cobb has
said; “Personal existance
can matter ultimately, only
if it matters everlastingly.”
So, to the question of “So
what?” we must answer
that, because there is a life
beyond, the quality of the life
here and now can be
radically transformed. The
significance of the Easter
faith is not just that Jesus
aware of our blessings,
was victorious over death,
but that his victory points
the way for our own victory.
Thus, the Christian’s
celebration does not mean
simply, “Christ is risen -
good for him! ” but “Christ is
risen-goodfor us!”
Never hi Vain
The whole 15th chapter of 1
Corinthians is a stirring
treatise on Christ’s
resurrection and ours. The
climax comes as he sings:
“Death is swallowed up in
victory.” “0 death, where is
thy victory? 0 death, where
is thy sting?” The sting of
death is sin and the power of
sin is the law. But thanks be
Wild garlic control is dif
ficult but sprays earlier in
the Spring using 2, 4-D will
help keep it under control.
VOW HAVEN'T LOST YOUR
KNACK FOR CALLIN'HOGS
OVER- THE YEAIfS.
If Three Mile Island has taught us
anything, it should simply be that
God’s creations are fragile and they
are to be respected. Nothing is totally
safe or foolproof.
Consider water, for example. You
can't possibly live without it. But a
few gulps can kill you. A little match
is something no one would want to be
- without. But a careless user can
make you wish it was never invented.
And worst of all, man himself has the
capability to do wondrous things. But
a mind, lacking moral standards and
warped by drugs or greed or alcohol
is the ultimate insult and threat to
society.
The tiny atom, like anything else,
has its beneficial side, I believe. And
radiation, though it may frighten us,
is natural. It comes forth from sun
and even rocks. It’s also beaming out
from television sets and watch dials
that glow in the dark. In fact, it’s
streaming out of this video display
terminal into which I’m programming
these words. The intent and hope is
that no person receives more
radiation than is safe.
And so, while the giant cooling
towers on Three Mile Island are
thought of us a huge mistake by
some folks, others see them as the
triumphant pillars of the future.
The fruth lies somewhere between
those two extremes. Like everything
else - from fire to fertilizer, to drops
of water and peoples’ minds - there is
a delicate balance involved that must
be understood and respected.,
to God who gives us the
victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Ah yes, the “victory”! And
then what? Paul follows with
the most convincing
“therefore” that words can
convey: “Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be
steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the
work of the Lord, knowing
that in the Lord your labor is
not in vain” (15:58). Because
Christ was victorious, I know
that I can be victorious too.
And because I can be vic
torious over death, ! can also -
be victorious in the midst of
life.
TO INCORPORATE
LIVESTOCK
AND POULTRY WASTES
Many barns and feedlots
(TurntoPagelS)
By Tom Armstrong
I GUESS NOT.., FOUR
o'THESE PIGS AREN'T
EVEN OURS.
it
(15:54b-56)