Transcribe
Translate
May Tangen Christmas Letters, 1961-1974
Tangen Tribune Christmas Greetings Page 1
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
TANGEN TRIBUNE GREETINGS TO YOU this second day of Christmas 1971-1973 TO CELEBRATE ADVENT in 1971 I borrowed Miss Spell's "Apples of Gold" to read as devotions in the light of the purple Advent candles the O'Conners bought for me. An anthology, the book had readings on the Fruits of the Spirit as outlined by Paul in Galatians 5:28-29: "...The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is now law." I ADDED to Paul's attributes compassion, forgiveness, openness, giving, and gratitude. AFTER I RETURNED my neighbor's book sometime in January, I began my own anthology, meaning to assemble the year's [Blessings?] this Advent. I copied much from her "Apples of Gold" as a starter. My own anthology is entitled "The Fruit of the Spirit", though I was inclined to call it "Love", believing as I do that the spirit of God is [illegible] and that all of the attributes that Paul describes and the ones I added are descriptive of love. But that would distract from Paul's verse, so I used his title after all. The anthology begun, I went about trying to measure all nuances of living by these spiritual qualities. Trying, yes, failing, forgiving myself, trying again. IT'S EASIER TO DO, I found, if one avoids affluent living. Apathy, the enemy of spirit, is so ready to take over in the thingful living of the well-to-do. QUESTIONS CAME UP. I was establishing a home here in Holly Springs: How can I reconcile buying a roomful of beautiful, costly furniture for my tiny apartment in a Rust College campus apartment house? I hushed my conscience by telling it that my furniture spoke of feeling of being glad to live here, of the value I place on my life here. Placing value I think of as being a form of love. I know now that I feel most at home with Rust College people and their community. Then again, how can I reconcile my great please in having the job of acquisitions librarian, shut off by myself in my lovely little office, away from the man-to-man contacts of the Circulation Desk or the congenial give-and-take of the Catalog Department next door? THE CHURCH to me is Social Concern, and the Commission on Social Concerns has dominated my non-working hours. Where among the Fruits of the Spirit that Miss Spell's book describes, did I find the quotation (which Martin Luther Kind also quoted), "He who does not protect wrongdoing is a party to it"? Must look it up. Yes, it's under Patience, of all places. Protest is important, much of our social concern comes in that category. My main service in Social Concerns is being secretary. I write the NEWS SHEET, a one-page monthly sheet suggesting or describing action. I also help our excellent chairperson, Clarice Campbell, write letters of protest, concern, and encouragement on local state and national matters. We work for peace. She and I protest taxes paid for the continuation of the war, withholding payment, she much and bravely, I a niggardly token.
Saving...
prev
next
TANGEN TRIBUNE GREETINGS TO YOU this second day of Christmas 1971-1973 TO CELEBRATE ADVENT in 1971 I borrowed Miss Spell's "Apples of Gold" to read as devotions in the light of the purple Advent candles the O'Conners bought for me. An anthology, the book had readings on the Fruits of the Spirit as outlined by Paul in Galatians 5:28-29: "...The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is now law." I ADDED to Paul's attributes compassion, forgiveness, openness, giving, and gratitude. AFTER I RETURNED my neighbor's book sometime in January, I began my own anthology, meaning to assemble the year's [Blessings?] this Advent. I copied much from her "Apples of Gold" as a starter. My own anthology is entitled "The Fruit of the Spirit", though I was inclined to call it "Love", believing as I do that the spirit of God is [illegible] and that all of the attributes that Paul describes and the ones I added are descriptive of love. But that would distract from Paul's verse, so I used his title after all. The anthology begun, I went about trying to measure all nuances of living by these spiritual qualities. Trying, yes, failing, forgiving myself, trying again. IT'S EASIER TO DO, I found, if one avoids affluent living. Apathy, the enemy of spirit, is so ready to take over in the thingful living of the well-to-do. QUESTIONS CAME UP. I was establishing a home here in Holly Springs: How can I reconcile buying a roomful of beautiful, costly furniture for my tiny apartment in a Rust College campus apartment house? I hushed my conscience by telling it that my furniture spoke of feeling of being glad to live here, of the value I place on my life here. Placing value I think of as being a form of love. I know now that I feel most at home with Rust College people and their community. Then again, how can I reconcile my great please in having the job of acquisitions librarian, shut off by myself in my lovely little office, away from the man-to-man contacts of the Circulation Desk or the congenial give-and-take of the Catalog Department next door? THE CHURCH to me is Social Concern, and the Commission on Social Concerns has dominated my non-working hours. Where among the Fruits of the Spirit that Miss Spell's book describes, did I find the quotation (which Martin Luther Kind also quoted), "He who does not protect wrongdoing is a party to it"? Must look it up. Yes, it's under Patience, of all places. Protest is important, much of our social concern comes in that category. My main service in Social Concerns is being secretary. I write the NEWS SHEET, a one-page monthly sheet suggesting or describing action. I also help our excellent chairperson, Clarice Campbell, write letters of protest, concern, and encouragement on local state and national matters. We work for peace. She and I protest taxes paid for the continuation of the war, withholding payment, she much and bravely, I a niggardly token.
Social Justice
sidebar
