Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-01
NORTON NUGGETS
Norton, Va, Mar. 2.

ard himself again., and confeSSeS his
shortcomings in regard to negligence
of news reports to the best weekly
in the Southwest, the Clinch Valley
News. However, we regret to say
that the arrival of the News in Nor
ton has also been inconsistent. This
may be due to the general congestion
and not the EDITORS fault-at all
times, at least. Other papers have
been very unsatisfactory in their ar
rivals.
All have shared alike the incon-
venienccs and hardships of the great
war, the writer with others-three
boys in the draft limit, one in train
ing Mt Camp Lee.
Had you noted remarkable proph-
ecy of our terrible winter? Loo.S it
up. job 3Sth chapter, % and %
verses. Also read the 18th verse of
the 120th Psalm, and you will get
the wall TO the Kaiser.
We have just passed through re-
vival campaign. conducted by Gypsy
Smith. The sermons were fine. Well,
it attracted the crowd, and cost near
ly $500, besides incidental cxpenes,
paigns, genuine repentance did not
.
John PARROT, Methodist wit once
told the Bishop at conference: eve
have in my church all the delicacies
of the season except the Epworth
League" So, we had about all the
tactics of the modern evangelical re-
vival, such as whistling and singing
Il verse backward, etc. There is but
one way ii bring about the real re-
vival, it's the cold time way"
Truth is, our churches have depart
ed far from the worship Of our fa-
theirs. Peep in any Sabbath morning
ut the eleven o'clock service and be-
hold the flash of raimcnt and caste
of the well-to- do. Where are the poor
folks? 1t is especially true in the
mining towns. Back in the days of
"Jeems" S. Wittcn, Billy Shannon,
of Bluestone. Billy Moore of Abs
Valley, Tommy Witten and others of
the we'll to do, they and their labor
ers on their farms and their wives
inelt at the altar and partook of
the sacrament of our Lord and wor-
shipped Him in spirit and in truth.
During revival in the ncighborhood
they would says to their hands, "Now
John William or Jim, quit work in
time and all come to the meeting.
This cordial word went out to both
white and colored and there was pow
er, power, wonder working power, in
the songs and experience meeting of
those days. A shoemaker pegging
away Il few days since, said to the
writer, "This war is teaching us
many lessons. The Germans will fight
on till God teaches us his will aud
his way" That was a great SER
mon by cobbler in few words. Com
ment is useless. Bishop Duncan
some years ago while holding the
annual conference at Tazewell, in a
scathing address, said, Brethren, 1
know | am blowing mighty close to
the corn, but truth is truth"
What glorious sugar-making sea-
son this is. If Tazewell county had
the fine sugar orchard of 80 or 40
to put it mildly. Many thousand
toted from tree to boiling kettles. The
orchards on the Major Britain place
and on the Moss lands of Plum Creek
were fine. Hungry? Did you ever
experience the appetite tree sugar
can bring? When n boy / wouldn't
look at Il cooked parsnip. One day
l was at the camp alone. Company
came to our house that day. In those
days the visitors brought their knit
ting and spent the day. So my din
ner did not reach me till about 2
p. m. was ravenous. The first thing
struck, opening the dinner bucket
was dish of parsnips and you know
"slicked up every parsnip, same
as razor back in bucket of swill.
I've liked parspips ever since. My
good neighbor, Mrs. S. A. Ratliff,
daughter of the late Marion Mcclure,
sent me half bushel Il few days ago,
Genuine Tazewell folks, of course,
and for these she has my profound
thanks. She also gets the e. V. NJ,
and hope she will see this acknowl-
edgement.
Smallpox is giving us some I'M
easiness at present. A number of
cases at Dorchester. Only two mild
cases in Norton.
By the way, and then I'll quit for
this letter is already too long. If so,
MIR. Editor, use your common sense
and scissors. 1t happens that three
Of our Southwest MasonG are in line
for big Masonic honors (grand Off
ces): DR.. r. p. Carr, of Norton, will
soon become Eminent Commander of
Virginia knights Iemplar, W. T..
Craig, of Norton, at one time N. and
w. Agent at Tazewell, will become
Grand High Priest of the Royal Arch
and our own John S. Bottiomre, will
be made Grand Master Of the Vir-
ginia Blue Lodge Masons-a very
great honor indeed is the latter. The
first time such thing has happened
for many day. AS you know those
Eastern Virginians have always had
a knack of voting us S. w. fellows to
a back seat politically and otherwise.
Now, Mr.. Editor, here's hoping
that this season you will lose Meth
er hoe, spade, fork or an yother use
full utensIl by the convenient forget
fulness of good neighbors, and that
a season OF abundant harvest may
bless you all.
| ma, Very truly yours,
II. +. S.