\® The Dallas Post Dallas, PA John William Johnson Da Vinci's wood working shop would not sit well with Felix Unger. It's dusty, neatly cluttered and housed in a large, unpainted, in- side. or out, building more than 100 years old. ~“Lcan almost see the trains which used to be repaired here,” he says and if this building could talk.” “Speaking of talking,” his as- sistant Splinters adds, “I saw the movie “Elmer Gantry” last night see it?" “No,” I replied, “but I did see it about a year ago.” ‘Remembering that now, Iwould never have thought that real life Gantrys would ever be seen on the scale they are today, much less be memorialized in the tear- ful faces of electronic ministers such as Jimmy Swaggart and Jim and Tammy Baaker. ~ “Do you guys watch any of those television preachers?” I won- dered. Da Vinci shows his version of contempt by waving away the question. “Idon’t watch them, but any faithful person wants to for- get that many of these guys have failed the test of their own moral- izing even while, and according to every survey on the subject, we continue to hold ourselves out as ri ie bo K | i Ni For'50 summers, the people of the Back Mountain have come together to donate their goods, services and time to the auction block of the Back Mountain Memorial Library. ‘The life of the library is a year-to- year proposition, and the auction is crucial to its operation. Twenty- five percent of the annual budget comes from the A sampler of items already donated: Tuxedo Rental., value $95, Tuxedo Junction 2 AAA ‘memberships, value $68 each, AAA, Dallas Floral arrangement, $40 value, The Craft Room Handmade motorcycle helmet, value $210, Russ Majors r= One-fourth of the library's annual budget comes } from'the auction. TV preachers lack examples of virtue amoral people, even while church attendance drops, and situational, even cynical ethics, are taught daily by example to our children, both at home and at large.” “You guys just don't know great entertainment when you see it,” says secretary Dusty. “Noone can cry with more flair than Jimmy Swaggart.” “He still on?" She nods, red hair falling into her eyes. Still, and with all those who continue towatch the variouselec- tronic church offerings, never be- fore in the relatively brief history of the electronic church have so many who believed had so many doubts. “That's because it has now he- come clear that exploitation of gullible Christians has become the rule in the electronic church,” says Da Vinci. “And that's noth- ing new,” he adds. “Throughout history, charismatic cult and/or religious leaders have been ex- ploiting gullible followers. What's new is that never in history have no many been able to be exploited by so few. And that's because television touches millions of lives with the flick of a switch. Imagine what would have happened had Adolph Hitler or Joseph Stalin had access to the electronic me- dia available today.” “Or what would Father Coughlin in the 1930's have been able to do in this country?” Dusty wonders. auction. Do electronic ministries really fulfill a personal need on a long- time basis? Can they, when there is no local visitation, no church nearby, no minister nearby, no group organization in the community to help in times of illness, or hunger, or family crisis of any kind? If followers don't know the “star” personally, as they know their local minister and his family or priest, can they really know whether or not he is a swinger conning them for cash rather than a moral example to be followed? Those are questions many of the faithful gullible are now ask- ing. It's a question millions have also asked about charities boosted on television. Every hour or so on the tube, especially at night, a film or other personality suddenly appears with a fine-sounding charity appeal, perhaps for hun- gry children. Send money is always the appeal.. “Before anyone sends money, they should think about it.” Da Vinci says. “And then don't send it. Spend it at home helping those whom you can see it helps.” With both charity and minis- try, money should be donated to a cause or organization whose ob- jectives are clearly stated, whose books are open to all, and which is located where the donor can ob- serve what, in fact, is happening. “But they can send me a few buck,” Da Vinci smiles. Jibrary Auction Corner This year's 50th annual auction will be held July 10-13 at the library grounds on Huntsville Road in Dallas. Any and all donations of cash or saleable items can help assure the continued fine service of the library to our communities. For more information, call the library at 675-1182. July 10-11-12-13 Chiropractic 3 Gift certificates, value $100 each, Shavertown Golf bag, value $70, Four Seasons Golf Club AM/FM radio, value $80, Gallery of Sound Deck cleaning, value $225, Aqua Spray $100 cash, Ruth K. Smith Real Estate Savings bond, value $200, Franklin First Bank You can help. Your donation of an item or money " will help your library survive and prosper. {= : : ar i i OQ Here's my donation to the Back Mountain Memorial Library i Name - Phone 1 Address City/State 0 i I Q I'have an item to donate. Call me for details. } I Q Here's a cash donation of $ to help the library. ; I Mail or bring to: Back Mountain Memorial Library : wie 96 Huntsville Road, Dallas PA 18612 ; Call 675-1182 if you have any questions. Donations are tax-deductible. Rr ax ican las aoe ite i A EE. WE 0 end ar Bs Tl SO AS ls. oH os. a si. a ws, This message donated as a public service by The Dallas Post Nationwide Mortgage Group How. We Can Help You: % ‘Refinance your ©" Mortgage * Credit Problem? . No Problem!! .% Lower Your "Mortgage Rate “% Consolidate Bills _ % Construction Loans * Your home is your down payment * No Application Fees * Bank turn you down? Callus. WE MAKE MORTGAGES FAST AND EASY LOCAL, FRIENDLY ~. SERVICE Phone 674-7920 Memorial Highway, Dallas PA EQUILT RACQUE 3) Antique Quilts for the Collector “ Handmade Queen Size Quilts + “ Antique Lace & Linens + + Wallhangings + Unique Table Linens & Napkins + +» Placemats, Doilies, Runners + Linen / Cotton Pillowcases % < Vintage Cotton Embroidered Sheets Come to the Moravian College Antique Shoe June 9-9 -10 Shop open by appointment only Shay == (o ¢) \& Bookmark winners Winners of the Back Mountain Memorial Library bookmark contest were announced last week. Justin 2 : Baloh, right, a seventh grader at Lake-Lehman, won first place overall in the county. His bookmark Wednesday, June 5, 1996 = 5 © , + 1 v POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK ~~ 8 “Tek design will be printed and will be available in all Luzerne County libraries. Shown with him is another oO local winner, Eileen Reinert, a third grader at Lehman-Jackson Elementary. A third local winner, Sara; id Trosky, who is home schooled in the third grade, was absent from the photo. The contest was held for National Library Week. The antique committee of the Back Mountain Memorial Library Auctionis selling chances for three antique items. First prize is a cherryone-drawer stand; second, an art deco-style lamp (bronze finish); and third prize is an En- glish Brass Watering can. These chances sell for $1.00 each and they can be purchased at the in- formation desk in the library. The items are on display in the lobby of the library. The 50th auction will be held July 1I-14 and will feature the children’s auction again on Sat- urday, the 13th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday evening at 9:00 a very special 50th library auction cer- emony will be held on the auction grounds. Antiques chance = LIPS | tickets now available The Book Club met on May 20 in the community room. A special guest was Kathy Wert, daugh- ter of member Gene Wert, from Florida. A discussion on new books was held. The next meeting willbe Monday, June 17 at 1:30in the community room. Members and guests are invited. The summer story hours will be taking registrations from June 3-7, at the library. Toddler, 2 year olds, will be Tuesday evenings, June 25 till August 6 from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Three lo five year olds will be held Wednesdays June 26 through August 7., 9:30 to 10:30; 10:45 to 11:45; and 1 to 2 p.m. The story hours are held in the children’s room. New books at the library: “The Magnificent Savages” by Fred Mustard Stewart is a thrilling saga of passion, adventure, treachery, and heroism. It is the story of the handsome, illegitimate son of a leading shipping magnate. ' “Fear” by Anatoli Rybakou is’ a stunning account of Stalin's purges. it brings alive a genera- tion and a nation on the brink of. self-destruction. A young man.js - sent into Siberian exile after an impolitic remark. oh “Timepiece” by Richard Pail Evans traces the lives of David and MaryAnne Parkin as they dis- cover love, loyalty, and the power. of forgiveness. In the darkest skies; - slars are best seen. This is the story of Timepiece” Fyeir “Anything Considered” by Pe- ter Mayle is a joyous rollicking caper set an the Cote d'Azur in the luscious landscape of Provence. An English expatriate has aban-- doned a successful career and‘ found an ideal village to idle in! {230 GEL TES CT CORT A continental USA or part of *1200 LRH CELE Oh] IVETE in Widths round trip airfares to anywhere in the shopping sprees. No purchase necessary. Celebrate Our SOth Anniversary With 20 % Select — ELITE SL-1 MEN'S & WOMEN'S FOR ALL YOUR RUNNING ¢ CROSS-TRAINING « WALKING * TENNIS NEEDS Biggest Selection of New Balance in the area! - “Hr ED JEY » “4 » #0 . ; : ¢ cE ; 3 - I~ [3 . ] if BA) ~ Bb hs 1 r [ ® ki i CLASSIC TRAINER MEN'S & WOMEN'S WALK/RUN SL-2 MEN'S & WOMEN'S VELEN EE = Bs MM HEALTH WALKER MEN'S & WOMEN'S SALE ENDS 6/12/96 i ll Bl ll SRA A Rt a aa OS
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers