by Rev. Charles H. Gilbert Some Christmas greeting cards have thought-starters which make their message stay awhile to visit about. This one comes from one of my mailing list people, and it is a painting of the Magi of India, a striking ar- tistic conception indeed. The cover shows a picture of Wise Men obviously searching, and eagerly asking this question: “Where is the King?’ The sen- der of the card takes up that question this way: “This seems to me to be a pertinent question for our times. And too often, like those other wise men, we are looking at the wrong places for our direction. (Why did they stop following the star—and ‘ask’ in Jerusalem. We do the same things. Isn't it s0?)” We thought that a good ques- tion. Incidentally this lady from Texas makes some other com- ments about some other things too. Writing about the weather she says, ‘And now, no doubt, your geese continue to fly South; though those on your wall have not encountered the VERY cold you all are having. Today is cold for us (around 40) which chills our Southern toes— and blood. A soft rain is good for my winter vegetables; it had been so warm that worms and lice were having more meals than I!” Often I do look at that paint- ing Catherine made and gave me of geese flying—it de- pends on which wall it hangs on—now they are seen flying south. When they give the right signal along toward spring I re- Inmates Cited For Prison Breach Two residents of the State Correctional Institution at Dallas who failed to return to prison in September at the end of their furloughs were arrested over the weekend and arraigned before District Magistrate Leo- nard D. Harvey Tuesday morn- ing. Curtis Thompson, whose address is listed as 337 Lawrence St., Middletown, was picked up by Allentown police there, reports Major Gerald son’s furlough ended Sept. 6. Bernard Hampton, whose fur- lough expired Sept. 18, was picked up in Bloomsburg, the city where he resided before his Both men have been remand- stitution pending a hearing on charges of prison breach before District Magistrate Harvey Jan. 2 at 9:30 a.m. Student Council SchedulesDance The Student Council of Dallas Senior High School will sponsor a semi-formal Christmas dance Dec. 21 at the high school. Music for dancing by Eddie Day and the TNT will continue from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend the annual Holiday Open House at the Dallas Post, Friday, Dec. 22, from 3 to 6 p/m. Stop in and share this festive occasion with the Dallas Post staff and friends. THIS SPACE CONTRIBUTED BY THE PUBLISHER hang it on the opposite wall, and listen for their honk, honk. My Christmas thinking has got started in an unusual place this year, and I haven'’t finished my meditations which have been starting up from it. The story in Luke 1 where it tells about the scene in the Temple where Zacharia is performing his allotted priestly function of burning incense. This time I have been taking the part of Luke from my Greek special loose-leaf volume with parallel Greek and English to read at night to help me relax to sleep. This time, due to the slowing- down process of reading the Greek, I noted as never before the Greek word having to do with “burning incense’’ appear- ing four times in three near texts. This repetition helped give me the impression of this ‘“smoke-filled room’ as having some importance in the Jesus- story which is beginning with the coming of John the Baptist as a wanted and prayed-for child to this elderly pair of saints. Distinctly a religious and spiritual setting for what would seem a hopeless but not forgotten desire. Then my mind wandered off to a unique story in the hook of Exodus, chapter 30: 34-38, where it tells about the making of this incense which we can’al- most smell burning in the story of Zacharia. ‘‘The Lord said to Moses, Take fragrant spices: gum resin, aromatic shell, gal- banum; add pure frankincense to the spices in equal propor- tions. Make it into incense, per- fume made by the perfumer’s craft, salted and pure, a holy thing. Pound some of it into fine powder, and put in front of the Tokens in the Tent of the Pre- sence, where I shall meet you; you treat it as most holy. The incense prepared according to this prescription you shall not make for your own use. You shall treat it as holy to the Lord, The man ‘who makes any like it for his own pleasure shall be cut off from his father’s kin.” Think of it! The smoke from the incense burning “‘smoke-filled room’’ would. memories and help produce Bes holy ‘atmosphere unmistakable and unforgettable. Did Luke himself remember story says was outside the Tem- ple praying ‘‘during the hour of burning the incense’? Incense was symbolical of prayer ari- sing to God! How we all need some memories to bring us to a time and place of prayer, and some subjects we are to pray about. Luke somehow knew the story of this aged, holy and longing couple. He knew that this was a prayer almost use- less to pray. But Luke could not have known what God was plan- ning. But he knew it by the time he was writing this gospel of wonder and love to his honored friend Theophilus, (which means- ‘lover of God’’). Luke knew somehow, Zecharias must have told him soon after, about the angel of the Lord ‘standing at the right hand side of the altar where the incense was burned.’”’ We lesser people think we would like to see an angel. But I'm sure I would be scared out of my wits if I were to see one. Zecharias was! The Greek word is phobia, and we know English words that are formed from that. Zecharias must have had to tell his wife ‘Elisabet about it. You can read the' rest of the story in English. But I am still creeping along word by word in to go slow with it. That’s what happened with this story where I first read ‘‘thymiasai,”’ and the “next. line I .spelled out “thymiamatos’’,~and so‘on. I'll be doing more meditations on this introduction to the story of Jesus which'is 'se’ important to us. Sometimes. 1 ‘have thought that the Christmas‘ story was getting almost threadbare. But not this year, for IT found this ‘‘smoke-filled room,” and how guarded the secret prescription of that incense was, and how the angel suddenly appeared in that mind—from that angel appear- ance! Well, Merry Christmas to all of you—especially you who have ‘I always read your column in the Dallas Post”! THE DALLAS POST, DEC. 21, 1972 Maureen Dexter, Trudy Connor, Elizabeth Kreidler, Susan Richards, Suzanne LaBerge, Anne Gray; standing, first row left to right, Jeff O’Dell, Mark Weiner, David Casselberry, Carolyn Szczechowicz, Karen Carey, Janice Stredny, Margaret Hoidra, John Griffith, Roger Sherman, David Fritzges; standing, second row left to right, Ronald Robinson, Brian Nichols, David Celmer, John Kraynack, Brian Gregory, Robert Hughes, Stephen Roan, Neil Cross, Jeff Dickson and David Phillips. Absent from the picture was Silva Jonsson. Tropic Pet Center 338 CAREY AVE.—ACROSS FROM MEYERS H.S. Will Reopen Soon We have added several new features to our Pet Center for the convenience of our many cus- tomers. DOG BOARDING Yr DOG GROOMING x LARGER selection of Tropical Fish YW LARGER selection of Everything in our new * LARGER store nz WATCH FOR OUR OPENING SOON Daily Noon fo 9 p.m.—Sat. 10a.m. to 6 p.m. af “45 Phone 8290767; dewoni SHAVERTOWN Lronlings LUMBER CO. Now's the time to thank you for your continued good will, and wish you and your family a happy holiday! Pine Brook Inn : 675-9659 ERY Gift wrap in sheen bows coasters Tass Can Shopping be Peaceful? Yes, for some people who are weary of crowded aisles and filled elevators. For people who like to pause and think about a certain Christmas gift and then make a quiet purchase. If you are one of these people, visit the HUT any day between now and Christmas..open evenings Christmas Candles- pillars, dinner candles and votives in scents of Mistletoe, Pine, Bayberry, Essence of Christmas and Cranberry Christmas candle rings flocked and sugared A wide variety of gifts Bo A A A PA PA A A A A A PA A PA PAK A PE SA AT PA PA A A PA PA SA A : »y yy = REFRIGE RANGES Ap [amv Eunn A A EE SE ES SE SE EE SE ES ES SE ES EN SE SEE GE DE AS 30 tenth grade students have received certificates of recognition for their excellence on the National Educational Development Tests, according to Robert L. Dolbear, principal of the Dallas Senior High School. These students represent the top 10 percent of all those tenth graders who took the test nationally. Those students named to the honor were: Karen Aicher, Dorothea Anthony, Maureen Dexter, Trudy Connor, Elizabeth Kreidler, Susan Richards, Suzanne LaBerge, Anne Gray, Jeff O'Dell, Mark Wiener, David Casselberry, Carolyn Szczechowicz, Karen Carey, Janice Stredny, Margaret Hoidra, John Griffith, Roger Sherman, David Frit- zges, Ronald Robinson, Brian Nichols, David Celmer, John Shavertown RATORS OPEN EVERY NIGHT ‘TIL CHRISTMAS before Christmas Robert Hughes, Stephen Roan, Phillipps and Silva Jonsson. student’s educ 2jonal & development. The program also helps professional educators, parents, and students plan together for the educational and vocational future of the some of the local post offices. . it off at Send it in early or the office. Fak <, EE Ra AN 43 Shr Qa Wi 7 ¥ “i Is The | Magic Numi: Je @" BY a We mt | i SAV Rl 2 5 Fo Tat an 3 ox 3 LT a RAR SR RS FA RA RA A RR SR SE RA A RA RS RR SE SA A RA RAR Srmmnamam mn SAS Lay PRP he fd i dL 4 gue Toa 5 re fond “ > CHR plai tior Fir Fol Rec pas Cof! Pet
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers