Turkey Relives Biblical Story

HELLO FOLKS! — It is tourist time again and our affluent American society will be contributing to other nations of the world, some of our wealth in the form of American dollars.

Turkey is one nation making a big play for these dollars. At first thought it might seem that Turkey has very little to offer the average tourist. However, I ran across an interesting article about one site that offers much of interest.

Near the city of Izmer lies the ruined and ancient city of Ephesus. This city at one time was a great center of civilization and culture. Today it lies in ruins. Inhabited only be a few hawkers eager to make a few dollars from few tourists who travel to this spot.

One of the suburbs of Ephesus which lies high on a hill near what once was the city, is a shrine maintained by the Roman Catholic Church.

According to the information given about this shrine it was the final home of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Tradition has it that when the Christians left Jerusalem John the disciple took Mary, and made a home for her at Ephesus. After her death the Christians maintained the place.

In the city of Ephesus lies ruins of two churches named after Mary and John. The oldest church is the church of Mary. It was built the year 351. Later about 400, to accommodate the growth of the Christian community, the church of John was built on the end of the older church. They were sometimes called the "double church".

They were destroyed about 500 AD by invaders. About 600 AD the church of John was rebuilt.

It is obvious from the pictures that these churches and especially the church of John were extremely well built. Some of the walls, floors and pillars still reman. Imbedded in the floors of the baptismal rooms are the fonts with steps leading down to them.

...

a whisper of its past glory.

Tradition has it that, except for the time he was banished to the isle of Patmos, John lived here and directed the affairs of the Church after the death of Peter. He lived to a tremendous age, that was the marvel of all who knew him. It is believed that he lived there until 105 AD.

An interesting sidelight to all this is: Why did Jesus have John take Mary? We know from scripture (Matt 13:55) that Mary had four other sons and at least two daughters. Did they not accept the divinity of Christ? Or were they not considered be Jesus to be worthy enough to care for his mother?

At any rate it seems that while Jerusalem is the birth place of Christianity; Epheus probably could be called it first permanent home.

Something Like Having No Hair

HELLOF FOLKS! — The manager of a small town telephone exchange told a middle-aged farmer? "With those two teenage daughters you have, we ought to double your telephone rate."

"On the contrary," the farmer replied, "you ought not charge me anything, since I never get to use the phone."

—o—

A DRAFTEE was awakened by his platoon sergeant after the rookie's first night in the barracks.

"It's four-thirty!" bellowed the sergeant.


"Four-thirty!" gasp the rookie. "Man, you had better go to bed. We got a big day tomorrow!"

—o—

THERE IS a lot of discussion these days about the so-called "right to work" law. It is in effect in 14 states and is up for voting in six others.

Labor officials in general are for it because it gives them a tailormaid way of collecting dues and leaves them free of the responsibility of maintaining membership by their own ingenuity.

Some have called it a "right to scab" law. By that they mean that some laborers will refuse to join just to get out of paying dues. This is true, we have in every element of our society people who do as little as possible to help out a good cause. This is only natural and is no more true in labor circles than anywhere else. For instance among famers in Freeborn county there are more than one-half of them that belong to neither of the two farm organizations.

Is this bad, however? I think not. It is the trademark of a free society. If the farmers do not feel that either farm organization is doing the job it should, they should most certainly have the right to do something about it. That is a God given right that should never be taken from them. It is the very thing that keeps the organizations on their toes and makes them either produce or die. It is the thing that keep them clean, for if the officials get corrupt the members soon find out about it and will refuse to support them. It is that very principle that makes our country great and prosperous. The people in public service have to stimulate themselves into action or get out.

The right to work then is as essential to the American way of life as the freedom of speech, press assemblies, worship, right to own property or any of the other great freedoms.

Because an organization does not have a majority of members in it does not mean that it cannot be heard or have it's influence felt to as great a degree. To the contrary; does it seem right that an organization that forces its members could necessarily sway public opinion? No. The very fact that the membership is based on forcing a worker to either pay up or starve has within itself the seeds of its own destruction. In the same way the all the tyrants of history have sown their destruction.

We need strong unions, not brittle ones, and the way for them to remain strong is for them to remain free and get their membership by virtue of their benefit to humanity.

I think that if we analyze the reason for the wholesale corruption in such organizations as the Teamsters Union it all goes back to the fact that rank and file members have to ante-up or lose their jobs, which means they starve.

Unions did not get their strength under compulsory membership. Figures prove that in the states with right to work laws the labor members have actually gotten higher increases in pay than in other states.

Because a man or woman refuses to pay into an organization it does not make them anymore of a scab than is the person who wants to have a soft touch by not having to work for his position. No organization ever gained respect by name calling and if you notice that when we point our fingers at someone else, there are three fingers on the hand points back at us. So let's be careful how we [use] our pointing

Force corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I think the wise labor leader will recognize what is causing the terrible corruption in their union and welcome laws guaranteeing the right to work. There are many other things that need to be done to help labor get on the right path again; they will have to be discussed at some future time.

We All Need Good Politics

HELLO, FOLKS — Middle age is that time of life when the fellow Peck used to look more like a bushel.

—o—

ARE POLITICS really important? To that question many will answer yes, some will answer no, and too many of us just don't care one way or the other.

There are a lot of things about politics that are revolting. A good many people don't want anything to do with it because of the seeming inconsistencies, shallowness and sometimes sordidness of politics.

Despite these things; as they are to be deplored; politics are important, very important. When we stop to realize it, there would be no freedom of religion were there no politics, for it was politics, and good politics at that, which guaranteed it. Were it not for politics there would be no civil laws to create a favorable climate for religion, learning and the things that go along toward developing the inner man.

There are comparatively few who take an active part in politics; many too few. We should all help contribute to political parties, the party of our choice, for in so doing we help encourage better government.

Politics has gotten to be big business and is getting bigger, just as government, business and every thing else has gotten bigger. The trent to bigness has been forced on us whether we like it or not. It need not be a bad thing, and won't be if we all take a more active part.

Time was when we could s[it] back and with a comparatively small force tend to the business of the state and nation. While government has grown out of necessary proportion in many ways the fact remains that we can no longer have a stable economy without government taking an active part. For this we need dedicated men who will learn the affairs of government and use their talents, personalities and give a lifetime of service for the public. This requires big, well financed political parties who have definite policies and go a[bout] and will search out these men and women.

By everyone taking part in least some small way we can wield a great influence in getting good career politicians who we hope will measure up to be statesmen. We can contribute financially to their support and in fact owe them that respect. For we are only paying back a tiny interest in value received. The great standard of living we have (nearly twice that of any other nation) is largely a product of good politics, based of course on Christian policies.

We can all be better informed and thereby vote more intelligently, thereby putting the poorer politicians on the run.

We can all be better informed economically, thereby stave's off severe depressions and recessions. For many of our economic trials of the part are the result of poor politics, or were at least aided by it.

None of us are too poor to contribute our bit. For instance; Would a penny a day be a high price for the privilege of living in a nation where we have freedom of election? You know it isn't. That would be only $3.50 a year.

Think it over and if someone suggests that you contribute, do so for the party you think stands for greatest individual freedom.