The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-12-05
(By Clarence e. Poe, in Progressive
Farmer.)

ii dTm6T.)
Anything that brings people to-
sether does good. Consequently, in
these monthly suggestions" we are
always glad to mention anything
that may lead to neighborhood
meeting. And of course there ought
to be meeting in every neighbor-
hood to celebrate Christmas. The
christmas spirit is not one that you
can enjoy by yourself. We hope that
you will see to it therefore that your
public school, your Sunday school.
or your church, arrange for some
sort of Christmas celebration.
II.
December is a month that brings
into the average Southern neighbor-
hood number of new families
renters who have moved into the
community from elsewhere. 1t is In
behalf OF these renters and their
families-strangers within your
gates-that we wish to speak a word.
In Gods name do something to give
them a welcome. It is indeed un-
chivalrous and unChristian to hold
aloof from them. One of the first
commands the Almighty gave His
people after bringing them out of
Egypt was to the effect: "But the
stranger that dwelleth with you shall
be as one born among you. and thou
shalt love him as thyself." And
q gain. ssJ oyo ya tt,Laroforo tho .tr,n
ger; for ye were strangers in the
land Of Egypt" Moreover, in the
parable of the Last Judgment Christ
Himself declares that ministering to
the stranger will be one of the re-
quirements for the souls entrance
into Paradise 1t is indeed not much
credit to you that you are hospitable
to well-to-do people or people OF
your class. 1t is hospitality to the
friendless, or to the poor who can
not repay you, that really enriches
the soul.
III.
We hope therefore that hearty
welcome will be given to all new
coming tenants and renters in your
community. 1t is manifest that no
church or Sunday school can neglect
giving such a welcome if it is worthy
of the name Christian, nor can any
individual of generous spirit neglect
this duty. And even If you find cases
where the parents seem shiftless and
careless, do not lose faith in the chill !
dren. Moreover, If there is a spark
yourself utter the most discredita-
BILE phrase that is common in the
South-"poor white trash" Rather
let us remember that the index to the !
power and possibilities of every boy
md girl is found, not in the achieve
ments or on-achievements OF two
or three immediate ancestors, but Is
found rather in his or her racial
heritage: let us remember that in
the blood Of every child born of our
race there beats the spirit OF the
long. long centuries Of toll and strug-
gle, achievement, discipline, moral
restraint and spiritual aspiration
which make up the body of Cauca-
sian civilization. and no one knews
when or where or in whom the
genius OF that race may again "bursL
on the thorny stem of
time"
Welcome these stranger-children
into your school and Sunday school,
and the parents into your church,
Sunday school and farmers club, and
ask for their cooperation in every
thing that makes for education. CO.
operation and progress in the COM
munity.
AS an aid to education, we doubt
whether you can do anything else so
worth while this month as to help
make your neighborhood reading
neighborhood" You want better
schools. better roads, more co-opera-
tive enterprises, farmers club, "A
farm woman's club, and a richer So
cial life-and the best way to arouse
interest as to all these agencies of
progress is to get your neighbors to
reading about them fifty-two weeks
in the year. Talk about having
some agricultural leader come