Dec07

With the last 2007 Camp meeting coming up on Thursday, December 20, at the VFW building in Laurens, I sincerely hope all McGowan Camp members will make every effort to be there. There will be no formal program, our meeting will be more of a Christmas "drop-in", like we had several years ago. This will be a great time to get together and remember the events of December 20, 1860, when South Carolina led the way for the South in secession. We will have refreshments, and door prizes, and great fellowship. Families, friends, in-laws, co-workers, and especially new recruits are invited !!

If you can, please try to bring a stuffed animal toy, as we are supporting the Laurens County Sheriff's office in their annual Christmas stuffed toy drive for children whose parents are in jail.

On the horizon, we are starting to gather items for a silent auction, to raise funds for the Spotsylvania monument. Do you have something you would like to donate for the auction?? Do you know any merchants who would donate item(s) ?? Please think about this, and how you can help. We are planning the auction for one of our Spring meetings.

We will have some excellent speakers and programs coming up in 2008, so let's all try to end this year with a great turnout as we celebrate Christmas, and remember our Confederate ancestors.

Merry Christmas to everyone,

Robert Roper, III
Lt. Commander

As we turn our thoughts to Christmas, I think of one song: I heard the bells on Christmas Day.

This song was written as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1861. He had lost his wife by fire in a tragic accident and the WBTS was beginning. Times were very sad. Sitting at his desk one day he penned the poem Christmas Bells. As the bells continued to peal and peal he realized that God is not dead after all and that the right will prevail as long as there is Christmas and its promise of new life. The poem was set to music by John Calkin first then in the 1950s,Johnny Marks whose songs are many set another tune to it which we know today. There have been many recordings of this song by singers such as Kate Smith, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby.

The words still have a great meaning let us look at them.May this be our holiday thoughts and a Happy holiday season to everyone.

I heard the bells on Christmas day.
Their old familiar carols play,
And mild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth, I said,
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep.
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.

Allen Young chaplin SCV camp 40